By Joe Thomas, The Daily Signal | April 16, 2026
Maryland’s Legislature is run by Democrats, yet it refuses to gerrymander the congressional districts in its state. Virginia Democrats could learn something from the Free State.
Like it or not, Virginia is constantly comparing herself to next-door Maryland. Out of the 47 seats in the Maryland Senate, 34 are held by Democrats.
Still, those senators chose to leave mid-decade redistricting in a committee drawer rather than comply with former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and his nationwide redistricting campaign.
To be fair, President Donald Trump did say it would be nice if Texas — ordered by the courts to redraw a few districts because they failed the Voting Rights Act “majority-minority” litmus test — made a few more Republican-majority seats.
But otherwise, it has been the former attorney general’s organization, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which has used that premise to try to gerrymander California, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.
The Virginia Public Access Project, which frequently reports on campaign financing, made a stunning revelation this week: Of the $64 million that had been given to “vote yes” Democrats on the issue of redistricting, only 3% has come from Virginians.
Yes, all those ads on your phone and television are being paid for by non-Virginians telling you to approve a “temporary” suspension of the commonwealth’s Constitution — all to benefit one political party, and to turn their slight representative majority into a supermajority for the next six years.
They must not want you to figure out what Maryland’s Democrats have said — that this is wrong.
Sure, the Virginia Supreme Court promises that it will begin proceedings later in the week, on appeal of a lower-court ruling, that the whole process violated several Virginia laws and should not have been allowed. It will be interesting to see what the justices do.
But before that, Virginia’s voters can say “no,” just like Maryland’s Democratic senators.
According to the registrar from heavily Democrat Albemarle County, voter turnout in this Charlottesville suburb is over 12,000 votes so far. That number is higher than this point in 2025’s gubernatorial election. However, that’s far short of the 56,000 voters that voted by the end of that county’s 2025’s general election.
The point is, there are lots of votes still out there. And according to an un-scientific survey of a half-dozen people that have been door-knocking and phone-banking, half the people they talk to have no idea that this vote is taking place. Don’t be shy—tell a friend.
Saturday will be the last day to vote early in-person at your registrar’s office. Then, Tuesday, April 21, is it. Polls will be open by 7 a.m. in most regular polling locations. Some areas like Harrisonburg have set up temporary special locations, so check with your local registrar.
If people get out and vote, at least we can be sure that these votes will be coming from Virginians.
Joe Thomas is The Daily Signal’s Virginia correspondent. He is a 37-year broadcasting veteran with 17 years covering Virginia from the marches to the memorials and everything in between.
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