Maryland Voters to Decide on Congressional Redistricting Favoring Democrats
In an upcoming November ballot, Maryland residents will have the opportunity to vote on a significant amendment that could pave the way for a new congressional map favoring Democrats across all eight of the state’s U.S. House districts for the 2028 elections.
On Tuesday, both chambers of Maryland’s Democrat-led state legislature approved putting this amendment to a public vote. The decision followed a special session where the measure achieved the necessary three-fifths approval, securing a 96-38 vote in the House and a 32-13 vote in the Senate.
Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, commended the legislative body for advancing the measure to a public referendum, emphasizing its importance in countering former President Donald Trump’s efforts for mid-decade redistricting that benefits Republicans.
“I continue to believe that our country needs national redistricting reform. But until that happens, inaction is not an option,” Moore stated. “Maryland will not be caught flat-footed while Republicans engage in political redlining that guts decades of progress that the generations before us fought for.”
Currently, Democrats hold seven of Maryland’s eight House seats. However, Republicans have criticized the amendment as a power grab, suggesting it contravenes a new state law designed to afford voters ample time to consider proposed amendments.
During the House debates, Republican Delegate Kevin Hornberger cautioned his peers: “Just because we can go ultra-partisan doesn’t mean we should go ultra-partisan.” Meanwhile, some Republicans argued that their constituents did not support the measure, and one Democratic lawmaker voiced concerns about potential negative impacts on federal resources for rural areas.
Democrats clarified during discussions that the amendment itself does not approve any specific new maps.
If approved, this amendment could be part of a broader reconfiguration of congressional district lines initiated last year. This effort began in response to Trump urging Republican states to redraw district maps to benefit the party’s prospects in the 2026 midterm elections. Typically, redistricting occurs once every decade following the release of new Census data.
Several states, including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas, have redrawn maps to bolster Republican representation, potentially adding up to 16 seats. Conversely, California and Utah’s new maps could secure a Democratic advantage in six contests.
Maryland approached the process more cautiously, opting not to alter district lines for this year’s elections. This decision was influenced by Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson, who previously blocked attempts to expedite new maps. He feared potential repercussions from the state Supreme Court, which has a majority of members appointed by a Republican former governor, especially after a judge rejected a potentially advantageous map for Democrats in 2022.
Ferguson’s perspective shifted following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to weaken the Voting Rights Act in April, providing Republicans with opportunities to reconfigure districts containing large minority populations in Southern states.
The proposed ballot question aims to ensure that redistricting is less prone to judicial rejection by clarifying that certain criteria, such as district compactness and consideration of “natural boundaries,” apply only to state and not congressional districts.
This change would allow for congressional districts to span the Chesapeake Bay, offering Democrats a strategic advantage in every district. Currently, the only district on the rural Eastern Shore is represented by Republican Rep. Andy Harris, chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
