Virginia's 3rd Congressional District
A dated list of changes to how Americans vote: district maps, polling places and drop boxes, voting laws and rules, and courts and election officials. Each entry says who did what and when, shows what became of it, and links to the page it rests on. Attempts that failed are listed as failed. Entries that rest on a news report name the outlet.
This is the district view: events tagged to this congressional district, then events that apply across Virginia, then national events. An event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district. See all of Virginia.
In Virginia's 3rd Congressional District
1997
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Three-judge court strikes down Virginia's Third Congressional District in Moon v. Meadows, finding race predominated
On February 7, 1997, in Moon v. Meadows (E.D. Va., No. 3:95CV942), a three-judge court wrote that "The Third Congressional District is racially gerrymandered in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because it relies upon the classification of large numbers of Virginians by race." It found that the state "subordinated traditional districting principles, such as compactness, communities of interest, and respect for cities and counties, to accomplish its goal of a safe black district," and that the Commonwealth had not shown a compelling interest or narrow tailoring. The order declared that part of Virginia Code 24.2-302 of no further force and effect and enjoined elections in the Third District until the General Assembly enacted and the Governor approved a new plan for it.
Source last checked Oct 21, 2026
Across Virginia
1991
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Justice Department objects to part of the 1991 House of Delegates plan
On July 16, 1991 the Justice Department objected to the 1991 House of Delegates redistricting plan (Chapters 11 and 16), "with regard to the manner in which it treats the Charles City County, James City County and Richmond/Henrico County area."
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division: Voting Determination Letters for Virginia (index) ↗
- U.S. Department of Justice: Section 5 determination letter, State of Virginia, Chapters 11 and 16 (1991), July 16, 1991 ↗
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
Nationwide
1993
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Supreme Court decides Shaw v. Reno
On June 28, 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court held that voters stated a claim under the Equal Protection Clause by alleging that a reapportionment plan was "so irrational on its face that it can be understood only as an effort to segregate voters into separate districts on the basis of race," without sufficient justification.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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National Voter Registration Act of 1993 becomes law
Public Law 103-31, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, is dated May 20, 1993. The law states its purpose as "to establish procedures that will increase the number of eligible citizens who register to vote in elections for Federal office."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
How this timeline is built
Every entry rests on at least one source that was opened and read, and that source states the date and the fact. Courts, legislatures, election offices, the Justice Department, the Census Bureau, the Federal Register and Congress.gov come first. A news report is used only when no official page states the fact, and it is labeled with the outlet's name. Encyclopedias are not used as sources. History starts in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act. County names come from the Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. Congressional district numbers are those in use for the 2026 election; an event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district.
When a later event changes an earlier one, such as a law later struck down, both entries are listed and point to each other. This page does not predict outcomes or say which party a change helps. U.S. House maps for 2026 · Back to the 2026 voting center.