Trump is right. The Virginia redistricting referendum was rigged

Published April 22, 2026 3:33pm ET | Updated April 22, 2026 7:56pm ET



Can a ballot referendum implicitly tell you the “correct” way to vote? That’s precisely what happened this week when Virginians voted to strip congressional representation from nearly half the state in the name of “restoring fairness.”

President Donald Trump reacted to the April 21 Virginia redistricting referendum on Wednesday, calling it “rigged.” He claimed there was a “massive ‘mail-in ballot drop’” and that the language on the ballot was “purposefully unintelligible and deceptive.” I don’t know about any ballot drop, but he’s absolutely correct about the ballot language.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.