Maryland court blocks redistricting amendment from November ballot

A Maryland court has blocked a proposed constitutional amendment that could have allowed Democrats to redraw the state's congressional districts ahead of the 2028 elections. The ruling, issued by a judge in the state capital, represents a setback for Democratic efforts to counter Republican-led redistricting initiatives nationwide.

The amendment, which lawmakers referred to the ballot, sought to circumvent a 2022 court decision that had invalidated a previous Democratic redistricting plan. It proposed that the constitutional requirement for districts to be compact and consider "natural boundaries" would apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones. This change could have facilitated the drawing of congressional districts across the Chesapeake Bay, potentially reshaping a district currently held by Republican Rep. Andy Harris.

Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson ruled that lawmakers violated their own established deadlines for ballot measures. He noted that a law signed earlier this year set a July 1 deadline for the secretary of state to certify ballot question summaries, a deadline he found was not met for this amendment. The judge sided with arguments presented by the conservative Oversight Project and Republican state lawmakers who challenged the amendment.

Furthermore, the judge determined that the ballot question used "intentionally misleading" language by stating it merely "clarifies" existing redistricting standards. He also found that the amendment violated the constitution's single-issue requirement by including a provision granting the state Supreme Court original jurisdiction over congressional redistricting lawsuits. The ruling prevents Ballot Question 3 from appearing on the November 3, 2026, general election ballot, though the ruling's effect was paused to allow for an appeal to the state Supreme Court.

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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.