A tale of two Virginias
It was the best of days; it was the worst of days. While the redistricting fight has felt Dickensian at times, this is not A Tale of Two Cities; it is A Tale of Two Virginias.
There is the Virginia in which our values still matter: truth, upholding the State Constitution, and adhering to the rule of law. And there is the Virginia where the ends justify the means, where partisan interests matter more than the Commonwealth, a Virginia so blinded by hatred that its loathing for Donald Trump clouds its judgment.
Today is a day for celebration: the Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled that no political party can trample on Virginia’s Constitution for its own ends. In a 4-3 decision, the Court struck down the rushed redistricting amendment and the partisan maps it would have enabled. The 2021 court-drawn, nonpartisan maps will remain in place for the 2026 elections.
But it is also a day for sadness. The very fact that this ruling was necessary — and that the Court divided on partisan lines on a purely procedural, non-partisan question — reveals how divided and broken Virginia has become
“At Virginia Fair Elections, we do not care whether Democrats or Republicans are elected, provided they are elected fairly,” said Lynn Taylor, Chair of Virginia Fair Elections. “A gerrymandered map, pushed through unconstitutionally, would have been the most unfair and divisive outcome possible. We are glad the Court prevented that, because it would have set neighbor against neighbor for years to come.”
At least 200,000 more Virginians will now be represented by the candidate of their choice rather than packed or cracked into districts designed to guarantee one party’s dominance.
This decision reaffirms that the Virginia Constitution’s safeguards — requiring two successive legislative sessions separated by a full general election of the House of Delegates — are mandatory, not optional. By attempting to pass the first vote after early voting had already begun (with over 1.3 million ballots already cast), Democratic leaders denied Virginians their constitutional voice. The Court rightly held that this violation “incurably taints” the entire process. As former Attorney General of Virginia Ken Cuccinelli said, “Justice Kelsey’s work product is brilliant and comprehensive. Very proud to be a Virginian today!”
Virginia Fair Elections will continue fighting for fair maps, transparent process, and a Commonwealth where the rule of law prevails over raw partisan power. Today, the Constitution won.
Virginia deserves nothing less.
