The Republican National Committee (RNC), along with two Republican lawmakers, initiated a lawsuit against Virginia election officials on Wednesday. They claim that an upcoming constitutional amendment and special elections violate state law, aiming to block Democratic initiatives to alter the state’s congressional districts.
In a 48-page complaint submitted to Tazewell County Circuit Court, the RNC, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and Virginia Representatives Ben Kline and Morgan Griffith assert that a recent bill passed by the Democratic-led General Assembly would enable lawmakers to overrule an independent commission and manage congressional redistricting.
This lawsuit specifically targets House Bill 1384, which is set for a special election on April 21. Voters will decide whether to amend the Virginia Constitution, allowing the Legislature to temporarily redraw state House districts in an effort to “restore fairness in upcoming elections.”
Notably, early voting for this special election is starting on March 6.
The plaintiffs argue that this amendment was improperly adopted without the necessary “intervening elections” stipulated by Article 12 of the Virginia Constitution. Additionally, they claim that the wording on the ballot is misleading and that scheduling a special election within 90 days of the amendment’s final passage breaches constitutional timing rules.
The lawsuit requests the court to stop state officials from conducting the special election, mailing ballots, and presenting the amendments to voters for failing to adhere to the constitutional amendment procedures.
Meanwhile, the Virginia Democratic Party’s push for redistricting coincides with similar movements in other Democratic-led states, as they aim to make changes to congressional maps in response to Republican-led states, particularly ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
