(The Center Square) – Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger is making her case to voters in a new video urging support for Virginia’s redistricting amendment.
Early voting started March 6 ahead of the April 21 special election.
In the video, shared by Virginians for Fair Elections, Spanberger says she is voting yes on the proposal and frames it as a response to actions in other states and national political pressure.
“It’s directly in response to what other states decide to do and a president who says that he’s ‘entitled to more Republican seats before this year’s midterms,’” Spanberger said.
Virginia’s membership in the House of Representatives is six Democrats and five Republicans. In the 2024 presidential race, Democrat Kamala Harris won 51.8% of the more than 4.5 million votes and Republican Donald Trump 46.1%.
The U.S. House of Representatives was a 220-215 Republican majority following the 2024 election. Today there are three vacancies, 217 Republicans, 214 Democrats and one independent.
The state is one of 20 that doesn’t require voters to affiliate with a party when registering.
The governor, in the video, described the proposal as temporary and said it would preserve Virginia’s redistricting process.
“Our approach is different,” she said. “It’s temporary. It preserves Virginia’s fair redistricting process into the future. At this extraordinary moment, I urge all Virginians to join me in voting yes by April 21st.”
Former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin criticized the proposal in a social media post Thursday, calling it “a blatant lie” and saying the amendment would “permanently rig Virginia’s congressional maps and disenfranchise millions of Virginians.”
He urged voters to vote no.
More than 436,000 ballots have already been cast in the special election, according to data from the Virginia Department of Elections, with turnout increasing in recent days.
Daily voting totals show activity rising after a slower start. More than 44,000 ballots were cast March 23, followed by about 28,000 the next day. Most votes have been cast in person, with mail ballots making up a smaller share.
The ballot asks voters whether the Virginia Constitution should be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts “to restore fairness in the upcoming elections,” while ensuring the state’s standard redistricting process resumes after the 2030 census, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
The amendment is tied to a proposed congressional map approved by lawmakers that would take effect if voters pass the measure.
Voting patterns also vary across the state, with differences emerging between regions as early voting continues.
Some Republican activists have pointed to those trends as a sign of stronger engagement in certain areas. Scott Presler, a conservative organizer focused on increasing Republican turnout, said early vote data shows higher participation in districts represented by Republicans compared to those represented by Democrats.
The proposal is still facing legal challenges, though the Virginia Supreme Court has allowed voting to proceed while those cases are reviewed.
Supporters say the measure would allow Virginia to respond to redistricting changes in other states. Opponents argue it could weaken the bipartisan system approved by voters in 2020.
Early voting will continue through April ahead of Election Day on April 21.
