Maryland judge blocks proposed amendment to alter congressional redistricting rules
A Maryland circuit court judge ruled that a constitutional amendment seeking to change redistricting criteria for congressional districts cannot appear on the November 2026 ballot, pausing the decision to allow an appeal.
A Maryland circuit court judge ruled Wednesday that a proposed constitutional amendment intended to modify redistricting standards for congressional districts will not be placed on the November 2026 ballot. The decision, which temporarily halts the ruling to permit an appeal to the state Supreme Court, stems from procedural violations identified by the court.
The amendment, introduced by state lawmakers, would limit the requirement that districts be compact and respect natural boundaries to state legislative districts only, thereby allowing congressional maps to cross the Chesapeake Bay. Supporters said the change would enable the legislature to redraw a district currently held by Republican Rep. Andy Harris.
Judge Robert Thompson found that lawmakers missed the July 1 deadline set by a law signed by Gov. Wes Moore for certifying ballot summaries. He also concluded that the amendment’s wording was misleading, presenting the measure as a clarification of existing constitutional standards, and that it conflicted with the single-issue limitation in the state Constitution by adding a provision granting the state Supreme Court original jurisdiction over congressional redistricting lawsuits.
"The court has no choice but to enjoin the board of elections from including ballot Question 3 on the general election ballot for November 3, 2026," Thompson wrote.
The ruling follows similar procedural challenges in other states, including a recent Virginia Supreme Court decision that invalidated a mid-decade redistricting measure for missing required steps. Both Maryland and Virginia have been watching California’s 2020 voter-approved amendment that authorized mid-decade redistricting, a model that Democrats hope to replicate.
The case highlights ongoing national debates over redistricting timing and authority, with Republican-led states pursuing mid-decade map changes after the 2022 elections and Democrats seeking to maintain existing district configurations.