The Virginia Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday regarding the legality of a voter-approved constitutional amendment that allows for mid-decade congressional redistricting. The court is considering whether the state's Democratic-led legislature complied with constitutional requirements when sending the redistricting plan to voters.
The case stems from a Republican legal challenge contending that the general assembly violated procedural rules by placing the amendment before the public. Opponents of the measure are seeking to block the results of a statewide vote held last week, which narrowly approved the new districts.
The outcome of the case carries high stakes for the balance of power in the US House ahead of the November midterm elections. The new congressional map could potentially net Democrats four additional seats, but a court ruling that lawmakers broke the rules could invalidate the amendment and render the recent vote meaningless.