The US Supreme Court on Friday rejected an emergency request from Democrats in Virginia seeking to use newly redrawn congressional districts in November's midterm elections, handing Republicans a victory as they try to defend their narrow majority in Congress.
The new electoral map could have helped Democrats flip four Republican-held seats in the House of Representatives in the eastern state.
Virginia voters approved the redistricting plan in a referendum in April, but a state court invalidated the vote less than 24 hours later.
The judge ruled that the wording of the ballot measure had been "clearly misleading" and that the proposal had been presented to voters earlier than permitted under Virginia's constitution. The court said all votes cast in the referendum were therefore invalid and barred the redrawing of the state's congressional districts.
Subsequent attempts by Democrats to overturn the ruling in higher courts failed.
The Supreme Court's decision marks a win for Republicans as they seek to maintain their slim control of Congress in the November midterm elections.
Efforts to redraw electoral districts in favour of one of the two major parties are also under way in several other US states.
