Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. Voids Virginia Democrats' Redistricting Amendment

Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. issued a written order on Jan. 27, 2026, declaring void the General Assembly's proposed constitutional amendment to allow mid‑decade congressional redistricting because lawmakers failed to publish the proposal three months before the Nov. 2025 general election, the court order says.

Democrats advanced the measure in an Oct. 31, 2025 procedural vote and sought to redraw U.S. House maps ahead of the Nov. 2026 elections to try to recoup what they describe as a three‑seat disadvantage created by GOP mid‑decade maps, party records and public statements show.

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott said Democrats will immediately appeal and that "Nothing that happened today will dissuade us from continuing to move forward and put this matter directly to the voters," in a joint statement, while Virginians for Fair Elections campaign manager Keren Charles Dongo accused Republicans of "court‑shopping" in a separate statement.

Judge Hurley wrote that more than 1 million Virginians had cast ballots in the 2025 House of Delegates election before lawmakers voted on the amendment and that the General Assembly failed to post and publish the amendment as required by the Code of Virginia, making the votes ineffective, according to the order.

Hurley issued temporary and permanent injunctions blocking further action on the amendment, and Democratic leaders said they will appeal, leaving uncertain whether the proposal can be placed on a planned April 2026 referendum and creating a potential delay to any map changes before the Nov. 2026 midterm elections.