Maryland's Democratic-led legislature is holding a special session to advance a constitutional amendment for partisan redistricting, aiming to gain a U.S. House seat by 2028. Republicans call it a "blatant power grab" and threaten legal action. The move follows a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act, escalating a national battle over congressional maps ahead of future elections.
Maryland redistricting special session
- ▪State Senate President Bill Ferguson blocked a different redistricting initiative earlier in 2026 that would have affected the fall elections
- ▪Maryland lawmakers will begin a special session on August 3, 2026, to consider a partisan redistricting initiative
- ▪The initiative could help Democrats gain an additional U.S. House seat by 2028; the party currently holds seven of Maryland's eight districts
Constitutional amendment proposal
- ▪The General Assembly will debate a proposed constitutional amendment to give Democrats greater latitude in drawing congressional maps
- ▪The amendment would make rules on district compactness and "natural boundaries" apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones
- ▪A judge struck down Maryland's 2021 congressional maps in 2022, calling them a "product of extreme partisan gerrymandering."
Republican opposition concerns
- ▪Maryland Republicans have described the Democratic initiative as a "blatant power grab."
- ▪House Minority Leader Jason Buckel raised concerns about "significant limitations on witnesses" during the special session
- ▪U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland's only Republican congressman, stated a new map would "of course" face a court challenge
National redistricting battle
- ▪New York's Democratic-led Legislature has also approved a proposed constitutional amendment to authorize mid-decade redistricting
- ▪The Maryland session is part of a national battle spurred by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in late April 2026 that weakened the Voting Rights Act
- ▪Republicans anticipate gaining up to 16 House seats from new maps in eight states, while Democrats expect to gain up to six seats from maps in California and Utah
2028 election timeline
- ▪If the amendment is approved by voters, lawmakers could redraw congressional maps for the 2028 election cycle
- ▪The proposed amendment requires a three-fifths vote in both legislative chambers to be placed on the November 3, 2026, general election ballot for voters to approve
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