Virginia Democrats have advanced a constitutional amendment that would let the state legislature redraw U.S. House district lines before the 2026 midterm elections, potentially flipping up to four GOP seats to the Democrats if voters approve the change in a referendum expected in April.

The Democratic‑controlled General Assembly approved the amendment along party lines, with the state Senate’s 21‑18 vote coming after the House of Delegates passed the measure earlier in the week. 

Under the current constitution, congressional maps are redrawn only once a decade following the federal census by a bipartisan independent commission created through a 2020 voter referendum. If the new proposal passes, lawmakers could bypass that commission and redraw the state’s U.S. House map earlier if other states conduct similar non‑census redistricting.

Democrats have argued the amendment is a necessary response to recent Republican‑led mid‑decade redistricting efforts in states like Texas and North Carolina.