LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Virginia judge has ordered the state not to certify congressional redistricting results approved by voters just one day earlier, citing procedural violations and misleading ballot language in a decision that threatens to upend Democratic gains in the 2026 midterms.

Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley issued the Wednesday ruling blocking certification of Tuesday's referendum, which voters narrowly approved to give Democrats an advantage in 10 of Virginia's 11 U.S. House seats. According to Lex 18 News, Hurley found that state lawmakers did not follow their own rules in passing the redistricting referendum and characterized the ballot language presented to voters as "flagrantly misleading."

The judge barred state election officials from modifying election districts or proceeding with the new maps, a move that could reshape the political landscape heading into the midterms. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones said his office intends to immediately appeal the ruling.

The redistricting battle was already before Virginia's state Supreme Court, which previously stayed one of Hurley's rulings to allow Tuesday's vote to proceed. That case remains pending before the higher court.

Andrea Gaines, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Elections, said state officials are reviewing the impact of the Wednesday ruling on the State Board's certification of the referendum results.

Virginians for Fair Elections, the group that led the campaign supporting the referendum, pushed back against the judge's decision in a statement, arguing that voters clearly understood what was on the ballot and chose to approve the new map. "Republicans lost. Now they're trying to overturn the will of the voters in court and trying to relitigate an election they couldn't win," the group said.

The new congressional map represents a significant victory for Democrats in the national redistricting battles that have played out across the country since 2022. The referendum's approval would have given the party a substantial advantage in a state that has become increasingly competitive in recent election cycles.