Court: Map redistricting work in Virginia must stop until justices render decision

The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled the redrawing of the state’s congressional redistricting map approved by a referendum vote cannot take place until they make their final ruling.

The Attorney General’s Office had filed for a stay in the case so the process could continue but the judges ruled in favor of the motion brought by several parties including the Republican National Committee.

There is no timetable for that final Supreme Court decision.

On Monday, the Court considered whether a voter-approved redistricting amendment complied with the state’s constitutional requirements. A Republican challenge to the map contends that the Democratic-led General Assembly violated procedural requirements by placing the constitutional amendment before voters to authorize mid-decade redistricting.

Arguments before the court focused on whether the legislature’s initial vote happened before last fall’s election, since early voting was already underway. If the court agrees that lawmakers broke the rules, it could invalidate the amendment and render last week’s statewide vote meaningless. Democrats hope to win as many as four additional U.S. House seats under the new Virginia map.