Virginia’s 6th Congressional District map covers a long north-south strip of western Virginia, running down the Shenandoah Valley from the West Virginia line near Winchester through Harrisonburg and Staunton to the Roanoke area. The current boundaries were set by the Supreme Court of Virginia in December 2021 and will govern elections through 2030.
What the District Covers
The Sixth is anchored by the Shenandoah Valley and follows Interstate 81 as its main spine. It takes in Clarke and Frederick Counties at the northern end, then Rockingham, Augusta, and Rockbridge Counties through the central valley, and continues south into the Roanoke metro area. Along the western edge, it picks up the smaller mountain counties of Bath, Highland, and Alleghany.1VPAP. US Representative District 6 – District Profile
Because Virginia’s cities are independent of the counties around them, the district also contains several standalone cities that serve as its population centers. Winchester sits at the top. Harrisonburg and Staunton anchor the middle. Roanoke and Salem are the largest urban areas at the southern end. Waynesboro, Lexington, Buena Vista, and Covington are the smaller independent cities inside the district.1VPAP. US Representative District 6 – District Profile
Two counties are split. Roanoke County and Bedford County each have portions that fall into neighboring congressional districts rather than sitting entirely inside the Sixth.1VPAP. US Representative District 6 – District Profile That matters if you live in either place: your neighbors a few miles away may vote for a different U.S. House member than you do.
The terrain runs from valley farmland to Appalachian ridgelines, and the headwaters of the James and Roanoke Rivers flow through it. Median household income across the district is roughly $74,000, somewhat below the statewide figure.
How to Check Whether You Live in the Sixth District
The fastest way to confirm your district is the Virginia Department of Elections citizen portal. Enter your residential address, and it returns your congressional district, your state legislative districts, and your polling place. You can also update your registration or request an absentee ballot from the same screen.2Virginia Department of Elections. Citizen Portal – Virginia Dept. of Elections
For a visual, the Virginia Public Access Project publishes a district profile page with a map of the current boundaries alongside the full list of localities the district contains.1VPAP. US Representative District 6 – District Profile
If you have recently moved, check your registration before the next election. Virginia allows registration up to 11 days before an election, and same-day registration on election day is only available by provisional ballot.3Virginia Dept. of Elections. Registration – Virginia Dept. of Elections
Who Represents the Sixth District
Ben Cline, a Republican, has held the seat since January 2019.4Library of Congress. Ben Cline – Congress.gov In the 119th Congress he sits on the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on the Budget, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.5Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Ben Cline Member Profile
For most residents, the useful part of having a representative is constituent casework. Cline’s district offices can intervene with federal agencies like Social Security, Medicare, the VA, and the IRS, and the office also processes military service academy nominations for students applying to West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy.6Ben Cline. U.S. Congressman Ben Cline
How the Current Map Was Drawn
The lines you see today came out of a process that did not go as planned. In 2020, Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment creating the Virginia Redistricting Commission, a 16-member body divided evenly between eight state legislators and eight citizens, charged with drawing new congressional and state legislative maps after the 2020 census.7Virginia Code Commission. Constitution of Virginia Article II Section 6-A Virginia Redistricting Commission
The commission deadlocked. Under the amendment, that failure sent the job to the Supreme Court of Virginia, which appointed two special masters to draw the maps. The Court unanimously adopted their plan on December 27, 2021, which is why the Sixth District’s current shape is a judicially imposed map rather than a legislative one.8Supreme Court of Virginia. Supreme Court of Virginia Redistricting Final Order
How Long These Boundaries Last
The current map governs every congressional election in the district through 2030. After the 2030 census, the redistricting commission is scheduled to reconvene under the same rules, and if it deadlocks again the Supreme Court of Virginia takes over.7Virginia Code Commission. Constitution of Virginia Article II Section 6-A Virginia Redistricting Commission Population shifts over the coming decade will determine whether the Sixth District grows, shrinks, or moves, and whether Virginia keeps all 11 of its current congressional seats.