Tag: virgina

Virginia Supreme Court tosses out congressional map that favored Democrats

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aerial view of virginia state capitol in richmond

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday tossed out a congressional redistricting referendum passed by Virginia voters last month, striking a blow to Democrats hoping to gain a more favorable map and increase their number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The decision overturns voters’ approval of a new congressional map that would have given Democrats an advantage in 10 House districts, leaving just one safe Republican seat. Although both of Virginia’s U.S. senators are Democrats, its House delegation is split with six Democratic representatives and five Republicans.  “We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia,” the opinion says. The court found that the commonwealth had “submitted a proposed constitutional amendment to Virginia voters in an unprecedented manner that violated the intervening-election requirement.”  “This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void,” the court ruled. Under Virginia law, before a constitutional amendment can be put before the voters, it must be approved by the General Assembly twice, with an election for the House of Delegates between the two votes. In this case, the court noted, voting in the general election for the House of Delegates began on Sept. 19, 2025, and ended on Election Day, on Nov. 4, 2025. The General Assembly’s vote on proposing the redistricting amendment to Virginia voters took place on Oct. 31, and by then, about 40% — or more than 1.3 million Virginians — had already cast their ballots. The court determined that the redistricting amendment process in this case deprived those 1.3 million voters of their constitutionally protected “opportunity to elect the House of Delegates that will participate in the second legislative vote on the proposed amendment.” 

Source: Virginia Supreme Court tosses out congressional map that favored Democrats – CBS News

With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Psalm 119:10

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Judge blocks Virginia from using new congressional maps, 1 day after redistricting vote passes

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road signage near the flooded road

A state court judge on Wednesday blocked Virginia from moving forward with a redistricting effort that passed in a referendum a day earlier, a roadblock in Democrats’ efforts to redraw the state’s congressional maps and tilt as many as four House districts away from the GOP.   The order from Judge Jack Hurley of Tazewell County Circuit Court declares all votes for and against Tuesday’s referendum “ineffective,” and bars state officials from certifying the results or taking any actions to put the new maps passed by state lawmakers into effect.   In a brief order, Hurley found that the referendum violated several clauses of the state constitution, arguing it skirted a 90-day public notice requirement and calling the question that was presented to voters “flagrantly misleading.” 

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, a Democrat, said he will immediately appeal the ruling. “Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People’s vote,” Jones wrote in a statement on X. “We look forward to defending the outcome of last night’s election in court.” The Republican National Committee, one of several GOP groups that sued over the referendum, called the ruling “a major victory for Virginians.”  “Democrats attempted to force an unconstitutional scheme to tilt congressional maps in their favor, but the court recognized it for what it is — a blatant power grab,” RNC Chair Joe Gruters said in a statement. The ballot measure, which voters approved by a 3-point margin on Tuesday, sought to amend Virginia’s constitution so that lawmakers could redraw the state’s House map, overriding a 2020 amendment that created a bipartisan commission to handle redistricting.

The state’s Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed a new map earlier this year. Virginia will return to its old redistricting system after the 2030 election.

Source: Judge blocks Virginia from using new congressional maps, 1 day after redistricting vote passes – CBS News

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Psalm 46:10

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Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, fatally shoots self, police say

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News anchors reporting on sexual assault allegations against former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife and then turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide in their home in Annandale, Virginia, police said Thursday. Fairfax County police said that just after midnight, Fairfax shot his wife several times in the basement of their home and then went upstairs to the primary bedroom and shot and killed himself. Both their teenage children were home when the incident occurred. According to two sources with knowledge of the investigation, Fairfax’s son called 911 just after midnight from the home. The caller said he thought his mother, Cerina Fairfax, had been stabbed.

When police arrived at the home, they found bullet casings near her body. Later, they found Justin Fairfax upstairs with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police said there was no prolonged confrontation before the shooting. “I think it all kind of happened at once,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said. “There wasn’t a pause … it all happened pretty spontaneously.” Police said that Fairfax and his wife were in the early stages of divorce proceedings, and Fairfax had recently been served paperwork related to that divorce. “This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce,” Davis said during a briefing Thursday morning. The couple had been living together but were separated, residing in separate bedrooms. Cerina Fairfax filed for divorce last July.

Source: Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, fatally shoots self, police say – CBS News

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James 1:3

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