Judge Blocks Maryland Redistricting Amendment From November Ballot

Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Robert Thompson ruled Wednesday that a Democratic-backed constitutional amendment to change congressional redistricting standards cannot appear on the November 3, 2026, ballot. The judge found that lawmakers violated statutory deadlines for ballot certification and used intentionally misleading wording. He further ruled that the measure violated the state's single-issue requirement by including a provision regarding Supreme Court jurisdiction.

The amendment sought to remove compactness and natural boundary requirements for congressional districts. This change would have allowed Democrats to reshape the district held by Republican Representative Andy Harris. Governor Wes Moore had called a special session in August to advance the measure, part of a broader effort to counter mid-decade redistricting movements pushed by President Donald Trump in Republican-led states.

During hearings on August 25, the Oversight Project, the Maryland Freedom Caucus, and Republican lawmakers argued that the General Assembly ignored deadlines established in Senate Bill 29. While Assistant Attorney General Daniel Kobrin argued that statutory deadlines do not override the Maryland Constitution, Judge Thompson expressed skepticism, questioning if lawmakers could claim laws do not apply to them when compliance is difficult. Although the judge blocked the measure, he paused the effect of the ruling to allow for an appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court.