May 8, 2026
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NVM Outraged with the Virginia Supreme Court’s Decision to Throw Out the Will of Virginia Voters
Today’s decision by the Supreme Court of Virginia on redistricting is outrageous and an affront to every Virginian who cast a ballot in the April special election. The Court has not only thrown out those votes, it has rewritten the rules of democracy in real time. By effectively declaring that “Election Day” is a 45-day period rather than a single day, this decision raises more questions than it answers and opens the door to an upheaval of our voting system as we know it. This ruling flies in the face of the democratic process– and it is a dangerous blow against the backdrop of a gutted federal Voting Rights Act and ongoing coordinated efforts across the country to dismantle the foundation of our democracy.
What we are witnessing is the disenfranchisement of millions of Virginia voters, and a Court system that applies the law in a political, not principled, way. This decision reflects a Court that is out of touch with the people it is supposed to serve, and out of touch with what democracy actually looks like.
New Virginia Majority will continue to fight for fair maps, equitable representation, and strong voting rights that Black and brown communities have earned and deserve. We hope this decision galvanizes every voter who believes that democracy is worth defending, because we are facing an opposition that will do anything to subvert the will of the people. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines, the future of Virginia’s democracy is at stake.
NVM political director Sakina Bennett, said, “We are angry, and we should be. The Supreme Court of Virginia has looked millions of Virginia voters in the face and said their votes do not count. That is unacceptable and we will not normalize it. Black and brown working-class communities in this Commonwealth have fought long and hard for the right to vote to have it stripped away by a politically motivated court. Virginians showed up at the ballot box and no court ruling can erase that. We will continue to fight for fair maps, equitable representation, and the voting rights our communities deserve.”
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New Virginia Majority builds power in working-class communities of color, in immigrant communities, among LGBTQ people, women, youth, and progressives across the Commonwealth. We organize for racial and economic justice through large-scale political education, mobilization and advocacy around dozens of issues. We fight for a Virginia that is just, democratic and environmentally sustainable. For more information, visit our website.