With all 100 seats in the House up for election this year, Elias said he expects the lower court to “move quickly so that the people of Virginia can get relief.”

Republicans hold 66 of the 100 seats, despite Virginia tilting Democratic in recent elections in statewide races. A redrawing of the House lines likely would benefit Democrats by making Republican-held districts more competitive.

House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, expressed disappointment with the court ruling but said, “The plaintiffs in this case did not prevail.”

“The Supreme Court declined the plaintiffs’ request to find that the districts are unconstitutional,” Howell said. “The Supreme Court overruled the way in which the district court analyzed the case. We have read the court’s opinion and are quite confident that we will win when we go back to the district court.”

The plaintiffs claim the process unconstitutionally packed black voters into certain districts and diluted their voting power elsewhere. The GOP-controlled House has argued that the racial floor was necessary to comply with a section of the Voting Rights Act that required certain states to clear all electoral changes with the Department of Justice to preserve the civil rights of black voters.