Well, that didn’t take long.
We reported earlier today that while Democrats won Tuesday’s radical gerrymandering ballot issue after a late-day surge of mail-in ballots (where have we heard that before?), this issue was eventually going to be decided by the courts. And Round 1 has begun.
On Wednesday afternoon, Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. ruled that Tuesday’s referendum is unconstitutional and issued an injunction preventing the certification of the election maps. Judge Hurley has also denied any motion to stay his ruling pending appeal.
UPDATE on referendum lawsuits: The Tazewell Circuit Court just ruled the referendum unconstitutional. The Judge entered an injunction blocking certification of the election & denied a motion to stay pending appeal. A final order will be entered once drafted, & it will be…
— Ken Cuccinelli II (@KenCuccinelli) April 22, 2026
UPDATE on referendum lawsuits: The Tazewell Circuit Court just ruled the referendum unconstitutional. The Judge entered an injunction blocking certification of the election & denied a motion to stay pending appeal. A final order will be entered once drafted, & it will be immediately appealed…
This battle began in February. Hurley was the judge who ruled on the maps drawn in anticipation of the fraudulent ballot measure, as the amendment process through HB 1384 was ramping up.
It comes in mens and womens and lets your friends know you're happy to express your views and don't care what anyone thinks! Cheers!
BIG WIN: Tazewell Circuit Court just enjoined the certification of the special election!!
UPDATE: From the Tazewell Circuit Court, the Judge reaffirmed all prior rulings, declared the referendum as unconstitutional and the amendment process of HB 1384 as unconstitutional. He…
— Wren Williams (@WrenWilliamsVA) April 22, 2026
BIG WIN: Tazewell Circuit Court just enjoined the certification of the special election!!
UPDATE: From the Tazewell Circuit Court, the Judge reaffirmed all prior rulings, declared the referendum as unconstitutional and the amendment process of HB 1384 as unconstitutional. He entered injunctive relief and specifically enjoyed the certification of the election. He denied a motion to stay pending appeal. A final order will be entered once drafted.
In another X post, Virginia state Rep. Wren Williams (R), who is an attorney, summed up the meaning of the ruling:
The judge stopped the certification of the election. The Dems wanted a stay pending their appeal, but that was denied too. The court found the referendum unconstitutional, same as before. Democrats will immediately appeal. I think Va Sup Ct will take this up asap now. The results of the election cannot be certified without another court ruling.
The order has not yet been finalized, and it’s likely that the Democratic leaders behind this will appeal the decision. However, this situation sets a precedent for the Virginia Supreme Court, which will ultimately need to rule on the constitutionality of this referendum.
We’ll keep you apprised of the latest as it breaks.
