Virginia Republicans are mounting a comprehensive get-out-the-vote operation to defeat a constitutional amendment that would allow Democrats to redraw congressional districts. The referendum takes place April 21, with early voting already underway since March 6.
The proposed amendment would eliminate Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting commission, giving the Democrat-controlled legislature authority to alter the congressional map from its current 6-5 Democratic advantage to a heavily skewed 10-1 Democratic majority before the 2026 midterms.
Republican Party of Virginia Chair Jeff Ryer stated: “Everything we have and every resource to which we have access right now is focused on this referendum on April 21.”
The GOP’s strategy involves coordinating 124 Republican unit committees statewide to identify and mobilize Republican voters using data from prior Trump and Youngkin campaigns. The party is emphasizing early voting since Republican voters typically prefer Election Day voting, while Democrats traditionally hold advantages in mail voting.
Ryer explained: “Republican areas are turning out in disproportionate numbers to Democratic ones, by and large.”
The party is providing yard signs, literature, postcards, and conducting door-to-door canvassing. They’re also utilizing ballot harvesting—legally collecting absentee ballots—to maximize turnout.
Democrats face a significant funding advantage. Pro-amendment groups have raised $38.3 million — largely from dark-money organizations — while the Republican-backed Virginians for Fair Maps has collected approximately $3 million. Democrats have reportedly outspent Republicans on advertising 14-to-1.
Top Democratic donors include House Majority Forward ($20 million), the Fairness Project ($10 million), and the Soros-linked Fund for Policy Reform Inc. ($5 million).
The Republican National Committee has provided field staff resources and funding. Former Governor Glenn Youngkin is planning campaign stops in Southwest and Southern Virginia April 10-11 and made a substantial donation to the opposition effort.
Youngkin publicly criticized Governor Abigail Spanberger’s support for the amendment, calling her position “a blatant lie” and “a complete reversal of your campaign promises.”
The pro-amendment campaign features prominent Democrats including Spanberger and former President Barack Obama in advertisements using misleading “fairness” language to describe what Republicans characterize as a partisan gerrymandering scheme.
Recent polling shows a plurality of likely voters oppose the amendment when accurately informed of its contents. Early voting patterns appear to favor Republicans, with GOP areas showing disproportionately higher turnout than Democratic areas.
Ryer warned that passage “would make Virginia the most gerrymandered state in the country” and could transform Virginia into “a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Democratic Party.”
The outcome will largely depend on voter turnout, with Republicans banking on superior ground operations to overcome their significant fundraising disadvantage.
This article originally appeared in The Federalist. Read the original at https://thefederalist.com/2026/03/31/virginia-redistricting-battle-will-test-republicans-post-2024-gotv-operation/.