Maryland voters approve redistricting amendment that targets one GOP seat
The constitutional change allows Democratic lawmakers to redraw congressional maps for the 2028 cycle, potentially eliminating the state's only Republican House seat.
By Olga Kaur ·
Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment to redraw congressional districts, according to an Associated Press projection released on Tuesday. The measure, known as Question 3, passed despite opposition from state Republicans who argued the ballot language was confusing.
The state currently has eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats hold seven of those seats. The amendment does not alter voting districts for the November 2026 midterm elections. Instead, it authorizes the General Assembly to create new district lines for the 2028 general election cycle. If Democratic lawmakers use this new authority, they could redraw the map to eliminate the single Republican seat located on the Eastern Shore.
Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, campaigned for the amendment as part of a wider effort to counter redistricting changes in other states. He stated that Maryland should participate in the national debate if other states were redrawing their maps mid-decade. "Donald Trump does not get to rewrite the rules for his allies and then tell Maryland to sit on its hands," Moore said after the projection was announced. He added that he would continue to fight for state representation to protect residents from the effects of the current administration.
Republican officials criticized the process after the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that the amendment had to stay on the November ballot. State Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey described the measure as misleading. "The Court ultimately provided political cover for the General Assembly by allowing this misleading constitutional amendment to remain on the ballot," Hershey said in a statement.
The vote reflects a strategy by Democratic leaders to secure a potential clean sweep of the state's congressional delegation in 2028. The amendment shifts the power of drawing future district lines to the state legislature, which is currently controlled by Democrats. This change bypasses the existing district boundaries that have been in place since the last decennial census.
The result solidifies the political position of the state's Democratic establishment in the upcoming election cycle. It provides the legal framework necessary for lawmakers to adjust district boundaries without waiting for the next census count. The amendment takes effect immediately upon voter approval, setting the stage for new district maps to be proposed for use in 2028.
Source: WMAR-TV
