Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is making a final push urging voters to reject a ballot initiative that would establish a new congressional redistricting process favoring Democrats, calling it a "gerrymandered grab of power."
Voters head to the polls Tuesday to consider a measure that would scrap the commonwealth's 2020 constitutional reform establishing an independent redistricting process.
That amendment, approved by roughly two-thirds of voters, created a bipartisan commission designed to limit direct political control over drawing congressional and legislative maps.
The proposed amendment, backed by Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger, would strip authority from the Virginia Redistricting Commission and return that power to the Democrat-controlled General Assembly.
Virginia's U.S. House delegation consists of six Democrats and five Republicans. But maps proposed by Democrat state lawmakers who crafted the referendum would temporarily create 10 districts that backed Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and one that backed President Donald Trump.
The measure would allow the state's independent redistricting process to resume as scheduled in 2030.
"Today, we have what is assessed as the fairest map in America," Youngkin, a Republican, said Monday, according to the Washington Examiner, citing a Fox News interview.
"I don't love it. Six Democrats and five Republicans, but it is fair," he said. "[Spanberger] wants to turn it into the most gerrymandered map in America."
"It is wrong. People in Virginia should stand up and vote no tomorrow," added Youngkin.
Last year, Trump encouraged Republican-led states to redraw their congressional maps to help the GOP preserve its narrow House majority in the midterm elections. His call for mid-decade map drawing prompted states such as Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah to approve new maps, which together could add as many as nine Republican seats.
Democrat-led states responded with their own efforts to blunt potential GOP gains. California voters approved a constitutional amendment backed by Democrat leaders that suspends the state's independent commission for this election cycle and replaces it with a map projected to make about five more seats safely or strongly Democrat-leaning.
"There is a chance. That's because it is viewed as being such a gerrymandered grab of power," Youngkin said when asked whether concerns among Democrats could lead voters to reject the measure.
"They've lied to us. Even The Washington Post came out and said that this is the most brazenly dishonest campaign from the yes vote, and they effectively endorsed the no vote," he said.
"Not only [are] Republicans coming together but independents and a lot of Democrats. This is going to be close. It's an uphill battle," Youngkin continued.
"They have poured $70 million into this — more than they spent on the governor's race — in a very short period of time to try to fool, deceive, and trick people in Virginia. The reality is a no vote is for the fairest maps in America," he said.
A Washington Post-Schar School poll released April 3 showed 52% to 47% of likely voters favored the measure.
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents showed more energy than their Democrat counterparts, with 85% saying they are certain to or have voted, compared with 77% of Democrats. Early voting began March 6.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.