United States President Donald Trump has claimed that the Virginia election was “rigged”, without providing evidence, after voters narrowly approved a referendum to redraw the state’s congressional map.

With most ballots counted on Tuesday, the measure passed by a slim margin, 51.45 percent voting in favour and 48.55 percent against, a result that could significantly reshape Virginia’s representation in the US House of Representatives and potentially benefit Democrats.

Trump’s comments came after the result on Wednesday, with the outcome expected to face legal challenges.

“A RIGGED ELECTION TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT IN THE GREAT COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA!” Trump wrote in a post on TruthSocial.

“All day long Republicans were winning, the Spirit was unbelievable, until the very end when, of course, there was a massive ‘Mail In Ballot Drop!’ Where have I heard that before – And the Democrats eked out another Crooked Victory! Six to five goes to ten to one, and yet the Presidential Election in November was very close to a 50-50 split,” he continued.

Trump has made similar claims without evidence since the 2020 presidential election, when he lost to Joe Biden. Courts and election officials have confirmed the results.

Part of a broader political battle

The Virginia result is being closely watched nationally, as both Democrats and Republicans seek to shape congressional maps before the upcoming midterm elections.

Redistricting – the process of drawing electoral boundaries – can directly influence which party wins seats in the US House.

Democrats have framed the move as a way to counter Republican-led efforts in other states to redraw maps in their favour. Republicans, meanwhile, argue the process in Virginia raises concerns about fairness and transparency.

The result could still face legal scrutiny. Courts are expected to review challenges to the referendum’s introduction and wording to determine whether it was clear to voters.

Opponents argue the measure may not have followed proper procedures and that the ballot language could have been misleading.

Virginia’s Supreme Court previously allowed the vote to proceed but indicated it could revisit these issues if the measure passed, leaving the outcome uncertain.

Trump also criticised the referendum wording, saying he “had no idea what … they were talking about” and urging courts to intervene.

Redistricting usually follows the national census every 10 years, but Trump last year urged Republican-led states to redraw maps mid-decade to protect the party’s fragile House majority. That triggered a tit-for-tat contest as both parties raced to squeeze out an extra advantage before November.

Control of the US House depends on winning at least 218 seats, the simple majority needed in the 435-member chamber.

“Democrats are on the cusp of the magic number of 218 in our ratings,” Kyle Kondik, managing editor at Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera.

“However, there are other dominoes that might fall on redistricting, most notably in Florida, where Republicans are meeting in a special legislative session next week and may try to squeeze additional seats out of that state,”  he added.

Democratic-backed organisations invested heavily in the contest, turning it into one of the costliest battles over electoral maps in the US.

Spending on both sides has approached $100m, with a large share coming from so-called “dark money” groups, nonprofit entities that can channel significant funds into political campaigns without revealing their donors.