Virginia Court Strikes Down Redistricted Voting Map in a Huge Blow to Democrats - The New York Times

In its 4-to-3 opinion%2C the Virginia Supreme Court wrote that Democratic legislators had violated the state’s constitution with their move to enact a new map meant to give their party 10 out of the state’s 11 U.S. House seats%2C up from the six it currently controls. Virginia voters had approved a constitutional amendment to allow for the map in a referendum.

The problem%2C the court’s majority suggested%2C was that the first vote on the amendment in the General Assembly%2C which would authorize Democrats to redraw the map%2C occurred days before last fall’s legislative elections — meaning that some Virginians who cast their ballots early did so without knowing how their state lawmakers would vote on the new map.

That%2C the justices wrote%2C violated the process laid out in the State Constitution.