Virginia Supreme Court keeps redistricting election certification on hold

The Supreme Court of Virginia on Tuesday denied a request from Virginia Democrats to halt a lower court's order that blocks the state from certifying the results of last week's redistricting election.

That means certification of the April 21 election, scheduled for Friday, remains blocked for now. The court has agreed to hear the case, but other legal challenges against the redistricting referendum are progressing in the meantime.

Virginia voters narrowly approved a new set of congressional maps that are poised to help Virginia Democrats pick up four additional U.S. House seats in the midterm elections, adding to the six they now hold. Republicans currently hold five. Under the new maps, only one district favors them.

Last week - just one day after the election - Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley ruled in favor of Republicans in a lawsuit against Virginia Department of Elections Commissioner Steven Koski challenging the validity of the election and process used. Hurley ruled the referendum was illegal on several counts, declaring state lawmakers did not follow the required process to get the referendum on the ballot and taking issue with language used for the ballot question.

His ruling effectively blocks any actions to implement the newly adopted maps, including updating and altering election districts and voter registration records as well as using the maps in subsequent congressional and general elections. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones later filed a motion to stay, which is a legal request to halt the order, until an appeal can be heard.

The Supreme Court's action Tuesday denies Jones' request, keeping the lower court's block of the election results in place.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:31 PM.