Maryland Judge Blocks Ballot Measure Aimed at Reshaping Congressional Map
A Maryland judge on Wednesday blocked a Democratic-backed constitutional amendment from reaching the November ballot, halting a bid to open the door to new c...
A Maryland judge on Wednesday blocked a Democratic-backed constitutional amendment from reaching the November ballot, halting a bid to open the door to new congressional maps before the 2028 elections. The ruling, issued in Annapolis, was paused so the state can appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court.
The decision lands as Democrats across the U.S. try to blunt Republican redistricting efforts encouraged by President Donald Trump ahead of this year’s elections. In Maryland, the fight has centered on whether lawmakers can rewrite the rules that govern how congressional districts are drawn.
What the amendment would have changed
Democrats already hold seven of Maryland’s eight seats in the U.S. House. Gov. Wes Moore called lawmakers into a special session in August with an eye on the lone Republican-held district.
The measure approved by the Democratic-led General Assembly did not itself redraw any lines. Instead, it would have changed the state constitution so that requirements for compact districts and respect for “natural boundaries” would apply only to state legislative maps, not congressional districts. That would have cleared the way for lawmakers to revisit the congressional map later.
Party leaders said the proposal was meant to work around a 2022 court ruling that struck down an earlier Democratic redistricting plan. House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk said the measure “does not change a single line on a map” and would simply let voters decide whether Maryland should use the same legal framework for congressional districts that it already uses for state maps.
Judge calls process misleading
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson issued the ruling in Howell v. Maryland State Board of Elections. WBAL-TV reported that he described the ballot question as “intentionally misleading” and said the state “did not follow the very laws it enacted.”
The order bars the question from appearing on the November ballot for now, but Thompson stayed the effect of the ruling while the appeal moves forward. That leaves the Maryland Supreme Court with the final say, if state officials press ahead as expected.
The governor’s office confirmed the state plans to appeal. State elections administrator Jared DeMarinis told WBAL-TV that the process is moving under severe time pressure as officials prepare to certify the ballot and start printing it.
The case underscores how redistricting fights that began in state capitals are now moving through courts again, with both parties looking for any advantage before the next round of congressional elections. For Maryland Democrats, the immediate question is whether the Supreme Court will let voters weigh in before ballots go to print. Thompson’s ruling gives the final word only for now.
