2020 – Virginia voters approve a constitutional amendment establishing a bipartisan redistricting commission, but the commission later fails to agree on a map, prompting the state Supreme Court to impose interim congressional districts. [6]

Oct 2025 – Democratic legislators introduce a constitutional amendment that would let the General Assembly bypass the bipartisan commission and redraw congressional districts mid‑decade, aiming to add up to four Democratic‑leaning seats. [3]

Nov 2025 – California voters pass Proposition 50, temporarily revising its congressional map to favor Democrats, a strategy cited as a model for Virginia’s redistricting effort. [3]

Summer 2025 – President Donald Trump urges Republican officials in Texas to redraw congressional maps, saying he is “bullying” neighboring states, sparking a national mid‑decade redistricting push that Virginia seeks to emulate. [3]

Jan 16, 2026 – The Democratic‑led Virginia Senate votes along party lines to advance the constitutional amendment permitting mid‑decade redistricting, promises a public release of the proposed map by month‑end, and schedules a statewide referendum before 2030. [6]

Jan 27, 2026 – Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley Jr. issues a written order declaring the amendment invalid for violating the three‑month publication rule and special‑session procedures, calling the move “a blatant abuse of power” and halting Democrats’ plan to add four House seats. [2][5]

Jan 27, 2026 – House Speaker Don Scott and other Democratic leaders announce they will appeal the ruling and consider placing the redistricting question on an April referendum, asserting the decision “will not deter” their effort. [1][5]

Jan 27, 2026 – Republican legislators issue a joint statement that the court’s decision “makes clear that elections, notice and rules apply to everyone, including those in power.” [1]

Jan 28, 2026 – Judge Hurley reiterates the amendment’s invalidity, emphasizing procedural violations—failure to vote before the November 2025 election and lack of three‑month publication—thereby voiding the proposal. [1][2]

Feb 19, 2026 – Judge Hurley grants a temporary restraining order at the request of the RNC and NRCC, blocking the April 21 voter referendum and early voting scheduled for March 6, with the order set to expire on March 18. [4]

Feb 19, 2026 – Attorney General Jay Jones says Democrats will appeal the TRO, citing Virginia Supreme Court guidance that the referendum should proceed while the appeal is pending. [4]

Feb 19, 2026 – The Republican National Committee calls the TRO a “massive win in defending honest representation for every Virginian.” [4]

Mar 6, 2026 (planned) – Early voting for the April 21 redistricting referendum is slated to begin, but the February TRO threatens to postpone it pending further court action. [4]

Mar 18, 2026 (planned) – The temporary restraining order expires, potentially allowing the April 21 referendum to move forward if no additional injunction is issued. [4]

Apr 21, 2026 (planned) – Virginia voters decide the constitutional amendment that would permit mid‑decade redistricting, a vote that could reshape the state’s congressional delegation from six Democrats and five Republicans to as many as ten Democrats and one Republican. [1][4]