A Virginia judge ruled on April 22 that the state’s redistricting referendum approved by voters a day earlier was invalid, nullifying the election results.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones said he would immediately file an appeal.
“Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People’s vote,” Jones said in an X post.
Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley entered an injunction blocking certification of the election.
Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said the legal fight was just beginning after language used in the ballot question raised a lot of interest among the opposition.
The question voters faced was the following: “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?”
Cuccinelli expects the case to move quickly through the appeals process.
“The ‘yes’ folks probably are going to look back at Tuesday and think that was the easy part because they have so badly violated several constitutional provisions,” Cuccinelli told “The Scott Jennings Show.”
The referendum faces three legal challenges in addition to the one decided on April 22.
“Here’s my prediction, the referendum gets tossed out in May,” Cuccinelli said in an X post.
Three of the lawsuits challenge the referendum on procedural grounds, arguing that Democratic Party lawmakers didn’t follow the law regarding timing requirements and legislative steps when passing the measure to place it on the ballot.
The fourth argument is about how the electoral districts were drawn and challenges the maps on contiguity requirements.
Tens of millions of dollars were spent to pass the redistricting referendum as Democrats across the nation continue their quest to redraw congressional seats in favor of taking back the U.S. House.
Hellbound and Down 