The Maryland legislature passed a measure Tuesday that will put the question of redrawing congressional lines to voters in November.
If the constitutional amendment on redistricting passes, it could potentially give Democrats another seat in the House of Representatives.
Currently, Republicans only hold one of the state’s eight House seats, with Rep. Andy Harris as the lone GOP member. Democrats stand to gain total control of Maryland’s congressional delegation if voters approve the redistricting measure on the ballot.
The Maryland House passed the measure in a 96-38 voice vote, and the Senate approved it in a 34-11 vote.
The amendment clarifies that certain parameters on redistricting— related to a 2022 court decision that struck down a proposed map — only apply to state Assembly districts, not congressional boundaries.
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The measure would allow for the Maryland Supreme Court to have “original jurisdiction” to review the congressional redistricting plans.
“This legislation does not draw congressional districts. It does not change a single line on the map. And it does not affect the upcoming 2026 election,” Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk said in a statement to local outlets.
“It simply clarifies Maryland law and gives voters the opportunity to decide whether our Constitution should provide the same legal framework available to other states as they confront the realities of congressional redistricting.”
While the measure will not affect the 2026 midterms, lawmakers could revisit the map for the 2028 election cycle under new jurisdiction.
During the Senate debate, Stephen Hershey Jr. (R) blocked the bill’s introduction, using a rule that requires bills to be delivered to the secretary of the Senate at least four hours before introduction. This move caused the Senate to reconvene in the afternoon to move forward.
Hershey, the Senate minority leader, said that because the measure was inevitable — given the Democrats have full control of the legislature — they’re “here to make this as uncomfortable as possible for the Democrat supermajority to push something as partisan as this issue is.”
Other GOP Maryland lawmakers have openly opposed the bill during debates on Tuesday, calling the measure “disrespectful,” and an “effort to silence our voices.”
“This is the dimmest thing we ever did,” House Minority Leader Jason Bucknel (R) said. “Why aren’t we talking about affordability, taxes and fees, the disabled community and our budget problems?”
Eight states — Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas — have redrawn maps in the past years to help Republicans win up to 16 seats in the midterms. In Utah and California, redistricting efforts could give Democrats an advantage in six races.
After national debates over redistricting in California and Texas, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said “all options are on the table for the state.”
In November, Moore created the “Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee” to look into how Maryland could be redrawn.
Shortly after, Maryland Republicans introduced the “Fair Districts for Maryland Act” as a rebuttal to the move.
However, due to the overwhelming Democratic majority, the GOP attempts had little to no movement, and the measure passed swiftly in both chambers.
