Maryland court blocks Democratic backed redistricting amendment from November ballot
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A Maryland court has ruled that a Democratic‑backed constitutional amendment cannot appear on the November ballot, blocking an effort that could have allowed lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of the 2028 elections.
The decision, issued Wednesday, marks another setback for Democrats as they try to counter a Republican redistricting push championed by President Donald Trump ahead of this year’s elections.
The judge paused the ruling to give lawmakers time to appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Democrats currently hold seven of Maryland’s eight congressional seats. Gov. Wes Moore called a special session in August with the goal of making it easier for the party to secure the remaining district.
The amendment was designed to get around a 2022 court ruling that struck down a previous Democratic map.
It would specify that constitutional requirements for compact districts and "natural boundaries" apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones.
That change would allow lawmakers to draw districts that cross the Chesapeake Bay, potentially reshaping the Eastern Shore district held by Republican Rep. Andy Harris.
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson found that lawmakers violated their own deadlines for ballot measures.
A law passed earlier this year set a July 1 deadline for the secretary of state to certify ballot summaries, but the amendment was submitted after that date.
The attorney general’s office argued the deadline did not apply because lawmakers wrote their own summary under constitutional authority. The judge disagreed, siding with the conservative Oversight Project and Republican lawmakers who sued.
The ruling follows a similar decision in Virginia, where the state Supreme Court invalidated a mid‑decade redistricting amendment because lawmakers waited too long to complete a required step.
Both states had sought to follow California, where voters approved a Democratic‑backed amendment allowing mid‑cycle redistricting.
Redistricting typically occurs once a decade after the census, but mid‑cycle battles have emerged as both parties look for an advantage.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press and previous FOX 5 reporting.