With the passage of the Virginia map, Democrats had mostly succeeded in reaching a draw with Republicans in the redistricting wars. But with the Virginia map overturned and Southern states—including Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina—rushing to pass new maps before the midterms, Democrats could face a four to five-seat disadvantage heading into November, according to Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report. While that is not insurmountable in a wave election—and Democrats could still pick up two seats in Virginia under the existing map—it gives Democrats little margin for error in the effort to take back the House.
In the 4-3 decision, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the April referendum violated the state Constitution because amendments must be passed twice by the legislature, with an election in between. The first time they passed it was after early voting started, so it doesn’t count. “This constitutional violation incurably taints the resulting referendum vote,” the court wrote, “and nullifies its legal efficacy.”
The decision effectively tosses out three million votes cast in the referendum on a legal technicality. It’s worth noting that voters in red states have not been able to weigh in on any of the mid-decade gerrymanders passed by their legislatures. And while those states have different laws than Virginia, voters in Florida and Ohio did pass prohibitions on gerrymandering that their legislatures flagrantly ignored—but conservative-dominated state supreme courts in those states are unlikely to void the new maps.
The Americans who still refuse to realize that this was ENTIRELY THE FUCKING POINT are beyond infuriating.
Anyone who still believes they’re “voting there way out of this” are delusional.
Meanwhile, at the DNC headquarters:
this is kinda hilarious. dur dur voting no work. These were referendums and its going to bite them hard not following the will of the voting populace. They just put a lot of their republican districts in jepopary. Voting is the way in a democracy. Why would anyone be against voting unless they are worried it would work. That type of message will be pressed hard though.
Oh I’m not against voting. Knock yourself out. But don’t act surprised when the supreme court nullifies those votes and hands them to the GOP regardless of the outcome.
By all means vote. But be prepared to back it up afterwards, because only a fool thinks Trump isn’t going to call in every stacked corrupted favour he has to nullify it.
hey as long as people actually vote im fine. Its literally the minimum. Any other action is useless without startint there first. I mean its not the only actions I take already.