One of the most unusual elections in recent Virginia politics is almost over.

Why it matters: Virginia's redistricting fight has been filled with lawsuits, conflicting messaging, celebrity cameos, dark money and Democrats announcing campaigns for districts that don't exist yet.

Catch up quick: More than 1.3 million Virginians have already cast ballots ahead of Election Day.

• Voters are deciding whether to amend the state constitution to allow a mid-decade redraw of congressional maps — a move Democrats say counters GOP-led gerrymandering in other states and Republicans call a power grab.
• A "yes" vote would enact Democrats' proposed "10-1" map for the November midterms, shifting Virginia's current 6-5 split to 10 Democratic-leaning districts and one Republican-leaning seat.
• The change would reshape representation in the Richmond area and potentially influence control of the closely divided U.S. House.

Yes, but: Voters have said it's been hard to follow.

• The ballot question, which Republicans have sued over and say isn't neutral, asks whether Virginia should amend its constitution to "restore fairness" in elections.
• The two main campaigns have similar names: Virginians for Fair Elections (pro-redistricting) and Virginians for Fair Maps (anti-redistricting).
• Both sides have used former President Obama and Gov. Spanberger to make opposing arguments.

Zoom in: Some anti-redistricting mailers from a GOP-aligned PAC referenced Jim Crow and images of Ku Klux Klan members, drawing accusations from the NAACP that they exploit civil rights images to sway Black voters.

• And a Democrat-backed billboard in rural Shenandoah encouraging a "yes" vote features a quote from President Trump, which a Republican official says was used "out of context."

The intrigue: Big names — from Trump last night to celebrities and content creators — have jumped in.

• That includes rapper Pusha T and John Legend, who filmed a pro-yes video from inside Altria Theater.

What we're watching: Which side breaks through the noise.

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Virginia's redistricting referendum is the most expensive ballot measure in state history, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Why it matters: The money pumped into the redistricting campaigns ousted Richmond's 2023 casino referendum from the top spot.

By the numbers: Pro- and anti-redistricting groups have spent more than $83 million on the referendum as of last week, per VPAP.

• The bulk — $62 million — came from organizations that support the measure, chiefly House Majority Forward, a House Democratic-aligned nonprofit.
• That spending dwarfs the $10.2 million, largely from a pro-casino PAC, spent on Richmond's failed second casino bid.

The intrigue: Pro-referendum groups outspent the opposition in all of Virginia's 10 most expensive referenda by a wide margin.

• The referendum passed just six out of 10 times, per VPAP.

What we're watching: For the final redistricting spending tallies. That $83 million doesn't include the last week.

Tell someone still not over the casino

ICE agents have become a nearly daily presence in the Southwood Apartments complex in South Richmond, which is home to one of the region's largest Latino communities. (VPM)

• Many in the community are now living in fear, regardless of their immigration status.

🚨 VCU Police issued 1,760 traffic summonses during its Operation Safer Street initiative, which ran from mid-January to April 1. That's 14 fewer than the number of traffic summons VCU issued in its full 2024-25 academic year. (News release)

• Speeding and failure to obey traffic signs accounted for more than half of the stops.

🏥 Bon Secours plans to appeal the state's approval of the new hospitals that HCA and VCU Health plan to open in Chesterfield, arguing that the county doesn't need the additional medical facilities. (BizSense)

• Bon Secours recently got approval to add 40 acute-care beds at St. Francis, its Chesterfield hospital.

Sen. Mark Warner's daughter, Madison Warner, died after a "decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues," Warner said in a statement yesterday. She was 36. (X)

A temporary, all-ages curfew for a two-mile stretch of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront will be in effect again this Friday.

Why it matters: That's on top of an existing one for minors, so if you're planning a trip to Virginia Beach, you may want to study up on their rules.

State of play: Last week, the Virginia Beach City Council approved a temporary, 9:30pm curfew for part of the Oceanfront, from Pacific Avenue to the Atlantic Ocean and from Rudee Park to 31st Street.

• The measure, which targets a touristy area, is in response to recent mass shootings that left multiple people injured, WAVY reports.

Zoom in: The new curfew is in addition to an Oceanfront curfew for unaccompanied minors for the same area Friday through Sunday, from 7pm to 5am.

• That means this Friday, people 18 and under cannot be out without an adult within that two-mile stretch after 7pm, and no one of any age can be out after 9:30pm.

Meanwhile, Virginia Beach has a citywide 10pm curfew for unaccompanied minors, which last month its Council moved up from 11pm.

Keep reading for the exceptions

The largest Kroger in the Mid-Atlantic opened last week in Mechanicsville.

Why it matters: The 118,000-plus-square-foot store sells toys, electronics, home goods, and has a clothing department, complete with a dressing room.

• Oh yeah, you can also buy bread, milk and other groceries.

State of play: The new $40 million store is one of the grocer's mega marketplace models, designed to be twice as big as its regular stores and serve as an all-in-one destination for busy shoppers.

• Fun fact: 118,000 square feet is about the size of nine Olympic-sized swimming pools.

What they're saying: "It's the Taj Mahal," store manager William Kearney told the Times-Dispatch.

Tell a mega shopper