Maryland Democrats considering partisan redistricting for 2028 election

Maryland Democrats have convened a special legislative session to debate a constitutional amendment that could reshape the state's congressional districts, potentially securing an additional U.S. House seat for the party by 2028. The proposed amendment aims to grant Democrats greater influence in drawing electoral maps, a move that currently sees them holding seven of the state's eight House seats.

This initiative faces strong opposition from the state's minority Republicans, who have denounced it as a blatant power grab. The debate is part of a larger national struggle over redistricting, which has already influenced the U.S. House map ahead of the current midterm elections. The proposal must first be approved by voters before new district lines can be drawn.

Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson, who previously blocked a similar redistricting effort earlier this year, has shifted his stance following a U.S. Supreme Court decision in late April that weakened the Voting Rights Act. Ferguson views this ruling as having emboldened Republicans in Southern states to redraw districts in ways that disadvantage Democratic representation, describing the situation as "painful" and a "unwinding of any type of democratic norms."

To preemptively address potential legal challenges, lawmakers are considering legislation that would clarify that certain redistricting criteria, such as compactness and consideration of "natural boundaries," apply only to General Assembly districts, not congressional ones. If approved by a three-fifths vote in both legislative chambers, the amendment would be put to voters in the November 3 general election. If passed, lawmakers could then redraw congressional maps for the 2028 election cycle under the new constitutional framework. Ferguson indicated that future map changes might also depend on the outcome of the November midterms.

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It felt like the unwinding of any type of democratic norms in the blink of an eye.