WASHINGTON – Virginia is the latest state to ask the Supreme Court for emergency help to change its congressional map before its fall elections.
The Democratic leaders of the state legislature asked the high court to intervene on May 11 after the state’s Supreme Court struck down a voter-approved measure last week, allowing lawmakers to create a map more favorable to Democrats.
The state court held that the new map was illegal because lawmakers failed to follow proper procedures in proposing an amendment to the state constitution.
Virginia Democrats asked the high court to put that ruling on hold.
"By forcing the Commonwealth to conduct its congressional elections using districts different from those adopted by the General Assembly pursuant to a constitutional amendment the people just ratified, the Supreme Court of Virginia has deprived voters, candidates, and the Commonwealth of their right to the lawfully enacted congressional districts," Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones wrote in a filing.
