Everything You Need To Know About the April 21st Redistricting Referendum

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The April 21st referendum rewrites Virginia’s Constitution to hand Democrats a PERMANENT majority in Congress.

What You Need To Know:

In 2020, Virginia voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment creating an independent, bipartisan redistricting commission. The measure passed with 65.6% of the vote—winning majorities in virtually every county across the Commonwealth. Virginians spoke loud and clear: they wanted politicians OUT of the map-drawing business.

Now, just five years later, Democrat politicians in Richmond want to throw that decision in the trash.

Governor Abigail Spanberger, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell of Fairfax County (D-34th), House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), and Attorney General-Elect Jay Jones have pushed through a constitutional amendment that would let the Democrat-controlled General Assembly draw new congressional district lines—lines specifically designed to give Democrats a 10-1 advantage in Virginia’s congressional delegation.

Vote NO on April 21st. Politicians shouldn’t draw their own district lines. The people should.

Democrats claim they’re responding to redistricting in Republican states like Texas. But here’s what they won’t tell you: Virginia voters will be asked to permanently suspend the independent commission they created—handing that power directly to partisan legislators who have a vested interest in drawing maps that protect themselves.

The referendum question itself is written to mislead you. It asks whether the Constitution should be amended to “restore fairness.” But stripping power from an independent commission and giving it to self-interested politicians isn’t fairness—it’s a power grab.

Every Fairfax County Democrat in Richmond voted for this scheme:

  • Senator Scott Surovell (D-34th) — Senate Majority Leader, up for re-election 2027
  • Senator Stella Pekarsky (D-36th) — up for re-election 2027
  • Senator Saddam Salim (D-37th) — up for re-election 2027
  • Delegate Dan Helmer (D-10th)
  • Delegate Kathy Tran (D-18th)
  • Delegate Charniele Herring (D-4th) — House Majority Leader

And every Fairfax County Democrat in Congress supports it too—including Don Beyer (VA-08), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), and James Walkinshaw (VA-11), all of whom are up for re-election in November 2026.

Democrats have poured over $22 million into promoting this referendum—including $10 million from a Washington D.C. PAC called House Majority Forward. The opposition group, Virginians for Fair Maps (co-chaired by former Attorney General Jason Miyares), has raised less than $500,000. Democrats are trying to buy this election because they know they can’t win it on the merits.

Vote NO on April 21st. Politicians shouldn’t draw their own district lines. The people should.

Sources: Ballotpedia, WSET, Virginia Mercury


THE BOTTOM LINE

A YES vote = Lets Democrat politicians draw maps that guarantee them 10 out of 11 congressional seats

A NO vote = Keeps the independent bipartisan redistricting commission that voters approved in 2020

The choice is simple: Vote NO.


What’s Actually On The Ballot?

The ballot question reads:

“Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia’s standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?”

Don’t be fooled by the phrase “restore fairness.” There’s nothing fair about letting politicians draw their own districts. The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit arguing the ballot language is misleading—because it is.

If the amendment passes, a new congressional map already approved by the Democrat-controlled legislature would immediately take effect. That map was specifically drawn to flip four Republican-held seats to Democrats.

Source: Virginia Department of Elections


The Legal Battle

Republicans have challenged this process in court multiple times—and for good reason. Democrats cut corners at every step:

January 27, 2026: Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley ruled the amendment was unlawful because Democrats introduced it during a special session that was supposed to address the budget—not rewrite the Constitution.

February 13, 2026: The Virginia Supreme Court allowed the referendum to proceed, but reserved the right to rule on its legality AFTER the election.

February 19, 2026: Judge Hurley issued another ruling blocking the referendum on separate grounds.

March 2-4, 2026: Courts ultimately allowed early voting to proceed, with legal challenges to be resolved after April 21st.

This means even if voters approve the amendment, the courts could still invalidate it. Democrats are gambling with Virginia’s election system—creating chaos and uncertainty—all to grab more power.

Source: Wikipedia


What Happened to the Independent Commission?

In 2020, Virginia voters created a bipartisan redistricting commission to take map-drawing out of politicians’ hands. The commission includes 8 legislators (equally split between parties) and 8 citizen members (also equally split). It was designed to prevent exactly what Democrats are trying to do now.

The commission drew Virginia’s current congressional maps after failing to reach full agreement in 2021—at which point the Virginia Supreme Court stepped in and finalized the boundaries. The current maps resulted in a 6-5 split between Democrats and Republicans, reflecting Virginia’s genuinely competitive political landscape.

Democrats don’t want competitive elections. They want guaranteed elections.

Source: Wikipedia: 2020 Virginia Question 1


How Fairfax County Would Be Affected

Under the proposed Democrat maps, Fairfax County would be carved up into five different congressional districts—gerrymandered to maximize Democrat advantage across the board.

Your community could be split apart. Neighbors on the same street could end up in different districts with different representatives. All so Democrat politicians can protect their power.

Source: FFXnow


KEY DATES

  • Now through April 18th: Early voting is open
  • April 10th (5:00 PM): Deadline to request a mail ballot
  • April 14th: Last day to register to vote (same-day registration available April 15-21)
  • April 21st (6 AM – 7 PM): Election Day

Where to Vote in Fairfax County

Early Voting Locations (Now Open):

  • Fairfax County Government Center — 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax
  • Mount Vernon Governmental Center — 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria
  • North County Governmental Center — 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston

Additional Locations Opening April 11th:

Beginning Saturday, April 11th, 13 additional satellite locations will open across Fairfax County, including libraries and community centers. Check fairfaxgop.org/voter-info for the complete list and hours.

Election Day (April 21st):

On Election Day, you must vote at your assigned polling location. Many polling places are in public schools—and FCPS has announced all schools will be closed on April 21st to accommodate voting.

Find your polling place: vote.elections.virginia.gov

Source: Fairfax County Office of Elections


What You Can Do Right Now

  1. VOTE NO — Early voting is happening right now. Don’t wait until April 21st.
  2. Bring others to vote — Democrats are counting on low turnout. Talk to your neighbors, your family, your coworkers. Make sure everyone knows about this election.
  3. Volunteer — We need poll watchers, door knockers, and phone bankers. Sign up at fairfaxgop.nucleuspages.com/landing/volunteer-interest
  4. Share this information — Democrats have spent $22 million on ads. We’re relying on grassroots energy. Share this post. Forward it to friends. Post about it on social media.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

Politicians shouldn’t pick their voters. Voters should pick their politicians.

Vote NO on April 21st.

Volunteer: fairfaxgop.nucleuspages.com/landing/volunteer-interest


The Money Behind the Power Grab

Follow the money and you’ll understand what this is really about.

Virginians for Fair Elections (the pro-amendment group) has raised over $22 million, including:

  • $10 million from House Majority Forward (a Washington D.C. Democrat PAC)
  • $9 million from The Fairness Project
  • Millions more from out-of-state donors in California, New York, and Massachusetts

Virginians for Fair Maps (opposing the amendment, co-chaired by former AG Jason Miyares) has raised approximately $495,000.

Democrats are outspending the opposition by more than 40 to 1. They’re not trying to convince you—they’re trying to overwhelm you.

Source: WSET


Remember in November

Every politician who supported this power grab should face voters in their next election:

  • Don Beyer (VA-08) — November 2026
  • Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) — November 2026
  • James Walkinshaw (VA-11) — November 2026
  • Scott Surovell (D-34th) — 2027
  • Stella Pekarsky (D-36th) — 2027
  • Saddam Salim (D-37th) — 2027

Hold them accountable. Vote NO on April 21st—and remember their names when their elections come around.

Get Off The Sidelines In 2026!

Mark Warner. Don Beyer. Suhas Subramanyam. James Walkinshaw. In 2026, we send them packing. In 2027, we take back every seat on the Board of Supervisors and School Board. Two cycles. One mission. And it starts with you.
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