A Virginia judge paralyzed the state's new electoral map proposed by Democrats that eliminates Republican districts and was approved by voters with a narrow margin of 51% to 49% on Tuesday night. The magistrate determined that yesterday's referendum was unconstitutional, while the newly appointed attorney general, Democrat Jay Jones, promised
to appeal.This referendum allows the state legislature to redesign congressional districts and eliminate four Republican seats in rural Virginia. The map devised by Democrats, which some have called “the lobster” because of its extremely manipulated shape (gerrymandering), would make five congressional districts originate in the same small, populated Democratic area.
Former Virginia Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli, commented on the legal process and the recent ruling: “This is going to go very quickly. I think we'll have a final ruling in May, by my best estimate... I would bet on a 'no' in court.”
details of the ruling
In the above-mentioned ruling, the court states that the referendum “violated House Joint Resolution 6001, and any action taken in this regard is an invalid expansion of the General Assembly's call for the Governor for the Special Session of 2024", adding that the Democrats violated Article XII, §1 of the Virginia Constitution
