Spanberger’s bad day in court
The Virginia Supreme Court denied Governor Abigail Spanberger's request to certify a redistricting constitutional amendment referendum, citing procedural violations. The court expressed concern that Democrats bypassed key constitutional requirements, including proper timing and voter notification. The amendment, which would shift congressional representation, may be invalidated if the court rules the process was unlawful.
- ▪The Virginia Constitution requires proposed amendments to pass two separate General Assembly sessions with an election in between.
- ▪Democrats failed to transmit the amendment text to all circuit court clerks at least 90 days before the vote.
- ▪The ballot language described the amendment as restoring 'fairness,' which critics argue is misleading advocacy, not a neutral explanation.
- ▪More than 1 million ballots had already been cast before the first legislative vote on the amendment.
- ▪The court is reviewing whether the rushed process violated constitutional safeguards designed to prevent partisan manipulation.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s attempt to certify the results of her redistricting constitutional amendment referendum, a procedural step Spanberger had scheduled for today. Now the court has more time to decide whether the governor violated the commonwealth’s Constitution in her mad dash to alter it. The arguments in Virginia’s high court did not go well for her on Monday. The Virginia Constitution and state law are crystal clear. Before amendments can be added to the Constitution, they must pass through two separate sessions of the General Assembly, with a general election of the House of Delegates occurring between the two votes.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Washington Examiner.
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