Edited by Dan McDermott
Warren County voters can start casting ballots today on a referendum that would allow Virginia’s Democratic-controlled General Assembly to redraw all eleven of the state’s congressional districts before this fall’s midterm elections.
Matthew Reisinger, Warren County’s Director of Elections and General Registrar, said early voting opened Friday, March 6 at his office at 465 W. 15th St., Suite 800 in Front Royal. The special statewide election is April 21.
What’s on the ballot
The proposed constitutional amendment would give the General Assembly a temporary window to redraw congressional maps before the normally scheduled 2031 redistricting — but only because other states have already redrawn their own maps mid-decade without court orders to do so.
A “yes” vote puts a new map, already passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, into effect for the November 2026 elections. A “no” vote keeps the current lines in place. Either way, the bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commission resumes control after the 2030 Census.
What it means locally
Warren County is part of the 6th Congressional District, represented since 2019 by Rep. Ben Cline, R-Botetourt County. The proposed map could cost Cline and several other Virginia Republicans their seats.
Cline has launched a group called Stop the Gerrymander, seeding it with his own campaign funds to run a voter turnout operation against the amendment. The pro-redistricting group Virginians for Fair Elections has raised more than $21 million; the main opposition group had raised around $295,000 as of early March. Former President Obama has recorded a video endorsement urging a “yes” vote.
Republicans argue the amendment is an unconstitutional power grab that bypasses the bipartisan commission Virginia voters created. Democrats say it’s a necessary response to Republican-controlled states doing the same thing nationally.
The Virginia Supreme Court cleared the vote to proceed on March 4 while legal challenges continue.
How to vote in Warren County
Reisinger said early voting runs weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at the registrar’s office, with Saturday hours on April 11 and April 18. Absentee ballot requests must be submitted by April 10 at 5 p.m. — either in person at the registrar’s office or online at elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation. Election Day polls are open 6 a.m.–7 p.m.
Note: this year’s primary has been moved to August 4 regardless of how this vote turns out.
Reisinger is also looking for county residents to serve as Officers of Elections — the poll workers who staff voting locations and help make sure every eligible voter can cast a ballot. Anyone interested can learn more at warrencountyva.gov/594/Get-Involved.
Questions? Call the registrar’s office at 540-635-4327.
The Ballot Question
Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia’s standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?
Present Law: Virginia’s eleven congressional districts are drawn once every ten years by the Virginia Redistricting Commission, made up of eight legislators and eight citizens, with an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. The districts were last redrawn in 2021 and will next be redrawn in 2031.
Proposed Law: The amendment would give the General Assembly authority to redraw districts before 2031 if another state does so mid-decade without a court order. That authority would expire October 31, 2030, after which the Redistricting Commission resumes control.
A “yes” vote puts a new map into effect for the November 2026 elections.
A “no” vote keeps the current districts in place.
