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
2016
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Supreme Court dismisses appeal over Virginia's 2013 congressional map
In Wittman v. Personhuballah, decided May 23, 2016, the Supreme Court held that Members of Congress who had intervened to defend the 2013 plan lacked standing to appeal. The syllabus says voters in Congressional District 3 had challenged the redrawing as "an unconstitutional racial gerrymander," and that the district court had struck down the plan.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
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Three-judge court imposes a remedial congressional map for Virginia for the 2016 election
On January 7, 2016, in Personhuballah v. Alcorn (E.D. Va., No. 3:13cv678), a three-judge court (Judges Diaz, O'Grady and Payne) held that "the balance of equities favors our immediate imposition of a remedial redistricting plan" and found that one of two plans proposed by special master Dr. Bernard Grofman, Congressional Plan Modification 16, "best remedies the constitutional violation." It directed the defendants to implement that plan for the 2016 U.S. House election. Senior Judge Payne dissented, writing that he would stay entry of a remedial plan until the Supreme Court resolved the case on the merits.
Source last checked Oct 21, 2026
2015
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Three-judge court again strikes down Virginia's Third Congressional District and sets a September 1, 2015 deadline for a new plan
The court wrote in its January 7, 2016 opinion that it "twice has found Virginia's Third Congressional District to be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander," citing Page II (E.D. Va. June 5, 2015) after the Supreme Court had vacated Page I in Cantor v. Personhuballah. It "subsequently ordered the Virginia General Assembly to devise a redistricting plan to remedy the constitutional violation by September 1, 2015," and "the General Assembly convened but failed to act."
Source last checked Oct 21, 2026
2014
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Three-judge court finds race predominated in Virginia's 2012 congressional plan in Page v. Virginia State Board of Elections
On October 7, 2014, in Page v. Virginia State Board of Elections (E.D. Va., No. 3:13cv678), a three-judge court, in an opinion by Circuit Judge Duncan, held that "race predominated in Virginia's 2012 Plan" and that the defendants "failed to establish that this race-based redistricting satisfies strict scrutiny." It found the 2012 plan unconstitutional as to the Third Congressional District and gave the General Assembly until April 1, 2015 to enact a remedial plan. The opinion quotes the plan's sponsor as saying the Third District was drawn so that it would "not retrogress in minority voter influence." A separate dissent was filed. Intervening members of Congress appealed to the Supreme Court, which vacated the judgment in 2015 and later dismissed the appeal in Wittman v. Personhuballah.
- Page v. Virginia State Board of Elections, 58 F. Supp. 3d 533 (E.D. Va. Oct. 7, 2014) ↗
- Personhuballah v. Alcorn, E.D. Va. No. 3:13cv678, Memorandum Opinion, January 7, 2016 (Doc. 299), describing the case history ↗
Source last checked Oct 21, 2026
Across Virginia
2019
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Supreme Court rules the House of Delegates cannot appeal invalidation of Virginia's redistricting plan
In Virginia House of Delegates v. Bethune-Hill, No. 18-281, decided June 17, 2019, the Supreme Court's syllabus states: "The House lacks standing, either to represent the State's interests or in its own right." It records that Virginia's Attorney General announced the State would not appeal to the Supreme Court, and that the House appealed.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
2017
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Supreme Court sets the standard for racial-predominance claims against Virginia House districts
In Bethune-Hill v. Virginia State Board of Elections, decided March 1, 2017, the Court held that the district court had used an incorrect legal standard in finding that race did not predominate in 11 of 12 challenged House of Delegates districts, and upheld the finding for District 75 that the use of race was narrowly tailored.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
2016
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Fourth Circuit upholds Virginia's photo identification law
In Lee v. Virginia State Board of Elections, decided December 13, 2016, a unanimous Fourth Circuit panel affirmed the district court's ruling for the State Board on challenges to Va. Code 24.2-643(B), the voter identification law.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
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Supreme Court of Virginia strikes down Governor McAuliffe's order restoring voting rights
On July 22, 2016 the Supreme Court of Virginia held in Howell v. McAuliffe, No. 160784, that "Governor McAuliffe unconstitutionally exceeded his authority by issuing the April 22 executive order," which had restored civil rights to about 206,000 Virginians, according to the ACLU of Virginia's case summary.
- Howell v. McAuliffe, Record No. 160784 (Va. July 22, 2016), opinion of Chief Justice Lemons ↗
- Howell v. McAuliffe, ACLU of Virginia ↗ News report, ACLU of Virginia
Source last checked Oct 21, 2026
2013
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Governor approves a photo identification requirement at the polls
SB 1256 (2013) eliminated forms of voter identification that lacked a photograph, added a U.S. passport, and provided free voter cards with a photograph. It passed the Senate 20-20 and the House 65-34, was approved by the Governor on March 25, 2013 as Chapter 725, and took effect July 1, 2014.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
Nationwide
2019
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House passes Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On December 6, 2019, the House passed H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019, by 228 to 187 (Roll no. 654). It was received in the Senate on December 9, 2019 and referred to the Judiciary Committee; the bill record lists no Senate vote, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 31, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Department of Commerce v. New York, on a census citizenship question
On June 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a challenge to the Commerce Secretary's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The syllabus says "The Enumeration Clause permits Congress, and by extension the Secretary, to inquire about citizenship on the census questionnaire," and the judgment was "affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Rucho v. Common Cause
On June 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided cases from North Carolina and Maryland in which voters challenged congressional maps as partisan. The Court held that such claims present "political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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House passes For the People Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On March 8, 2019, the House passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019, by 234 to 193 (Roll no. 118). The bill was received in the Senate on March 12, 2019 and placed on the Senate calendar; the bill record lists no Senate vote on passage, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2018
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President signs Executive Order 13848 on foreign interference in U.S. elections
Executive Order 13848, dated September 12, 2018, imposes sanctions authority in the event of foreign interference in a U.S. election. The order says "there has been no evidence of a foreign power altering the outcome or vote tabulation in any United States election" and declares a national emergency over the threat of interference.
Source last checked Nov 1, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Gill v. Whitford
On June 18, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed a challenge to Wisconsin's state legislative map as a partisan one. The Court held that "The plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate Article III standing."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute
On June 11, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "The process that Ohio uses to remove voters on change-of-residence grounds does not violate the Failure-to-Vote Clause or any other part of the NVRA."
- Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, 584 U.S. 756 (2018), U.S. Reports, Volume 584 (Supreme Court) ↗
- Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, No. 16-980 (U.S. June 11, 2018), syllabus and opinions (Cornell Legal Information Institute copy) ↗
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
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President terminates the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Executive Order 13820, dated January 3, 2018 and published January 8, 2018, revoked Executive Order 13799 and states that "the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity is accordingly terminated."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2017
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Supreme Court decides Cooper v. Harris
On May 22, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed North Carolina's congressional Districts 1 and 12. The syllabus says the lower court "did not err in concluding that race furnished the predominant rationale for District 1's redesign and that the State's interest in complying with the VRA could not justify that consideration of race."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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President establishes the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Executive Order 13799, dated May 11, 2017 and published May 16, 2017, established the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, chaired by the Vice President, to "study the registration and voting processes used in Federal elections."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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Homeland Security designates election infrastructure as critical infrastructure
On January 6, 2017, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he had determined "that election infrastructure in this country should be designated as a subsector of the existing Government Facilities critical infrastructure sector." The statement defines election infrastructure as including "storage facilities, polling places, and centralized vote tabulations locations" and voter registration databases and voting machines.
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2016
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Supreme Court decides Evenwel v. Abbott
On April 4, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "a State or locality may draw its legislative districts based on total population," according to its syllabus.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2013
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Supreme Court decides Shelby County v. Holder
On June 25, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional and that its formula can no longer be used as a basis for requiring places to get federal approval ("preclearance") before changing voting procedures.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
On June 17, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "Arizona's evidence-of-citizenship requirement, as applied to Federal Form applicants, is pre-empted by the NVRA's mandate that States 'accept and use' the Federal Form."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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President establishes the Presidential Commission on Election Administration
Executive Order 13639, dated March 28, 2013 and published April 3, 2013, established the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. The order says the commission "shall identify best practices and otherwise make recommendations to promote the efficient administration of elections."
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 · How people voted in past elections, by county · Back to the 2026 voting center.