8 Reasons to Vote
NO on April 21.
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Vote early.

The Ballot Wording Is Deliberately Misleading

The referendum's ballot question claims the amendment would "allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in representation." This is engineered deception.

The current maps, drawn by Virginia's independent bipartisan redistricting commission, are already fair — graded "A" for partisan fairness by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. There is no fairness to restore. The language is designed to trick voters into thinking a NO vote means they support unfairness, when the opposite is true.

It Betrays the Overwhelming 2020 Mandate

In 2020, 66% of Virginia voters — more than 2.7 million people — approved a constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan, nonpartisan redistricting commission to remove politicians from map-drawing and end gerrymandering. Every county in Virginia but one voted in favor.

That wasn't a narrow win. It was a supermajority mandate across partisan lines. This April 21 referendum ignores that landslide consensus and hands power back to the exact same self-interested politicians the 2020 reform was designed to remove.

The Proposed Maps Create a 10-to-1 Democratic Advantage

The maps Democrats want to draw would redraw Virginia's 11 congressional districts to create a 10-1 Democratic advantage, flipping four currently Republican-held districts — including Districts 5 and 6 — to Democratic control.

This would cut GOP representation from 5 seats to just 1, despite:

• Virginia's historic political diversity and competitive congressional delegation
• Donald Trump earning 46% of Virginia's vote in the 2024 presidential election
• Republicans representing hundreds of thousands of Virginians in competitive districts

Republicans call it an "illegal scheme" and "blatant abuse of power" designed to permanently silence conservative voices in Virginia's congressional delegation.

It's Not Temporary — It's a Permanent Shift in Power

Proponents call this a "temporary" measure to redress redistricting in Republican-led states. But politicians never willingly surrender power once it's been seized.

While the amendment technically allows legislative intervention only for the 2025–2030 cycle, opponents argue it permanently shifts control away from the independent commission by normalizing political intervention — and creating a precedent that can be invoked again whenever it's politically convenient.

It's Unconstitutional — On Multiple Grounds

This amendment doesn't just cross political lines — it crosses legal ones. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares formally declared the referendum unconstitutional, citing violations including:

• Timing: Early voting would begin less than 90 days after passage, violating constitutional requirements
• Public notice: Proper public notice procedures were not followed
• Single-subject rule: The amendment bundles multiple unrelated provisions in violation of Virginia's constitution
• Court orders: The approach breaches existing court orders governing redistricting

The RNC, NRCC, and GOP lawmakers have filed lawsuits highlighting these violations, calling it an "overreach power grab" that bypasses the legal processes Virginia's constitution requires.

Democrats Are Doing What They Spent Years Condemning

For years, Democrats led the charge against partisan gerrymandering — denouncing Republican-drawn maps in other states, championing independent redistricting commissions, and calling for politicians to be removed from the process. Virginia Democrats were among those who supported the 2020 reform.

Now, with control of the General Assembly, they are engaging in the exact same practice — mid-decade, without any democratic mandate — to entrench their party's dominance and turn Virginia into a one-party state.

It Destroys Virginia's Model of Transparent, Fair Redistricting

Virginia's bipartisan redistricting commission — created by the 2020 amendment — is recognized nationally as a model of fair map-drawing. The commission's maps have been:

• Graded "A" for partisan fairness by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project
• Drawn through a transparent, public process with nonpartisan involvement
• Praised by good-government groups across the political spectrum

Allowing politicians to override the commission lets them pick their voters instead of voters picking their representatives. It reduces transparency, fosters voter disillusionment, and treats Virginia as a partisan battleground rather than a commonwealth to be served.

Virginia's Leaders — Across the Commonwealth — Are Saying No

Opposition to this referendum is broad, organized, and growing. The following leaders and organizations have publicly called for a NO vote on April 21:

• Governor Glenn Youngkin (R)
• Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R)
• Attorney General Jason Miyares (R)
• Multiple GOP congressmen and state legislators
• Virginians for Fair Maps (nonpartisan advocacy coalition)
• The Family Foundation of Virginia
• Republican National Committee (RNC)
• National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)

These leaders — representing both elected officials and citizen advocates — urge Virginians to protect the republic, uphold constitutional processes, and prevent politicians from overriding the landmark reform citizens passed just five years ago.