Maryland voters pass Question 3 on November 3, 2026, approving a constitutional amendment that allows the Democratic-led General Assembly to redraw the state's congressional districts before 2028. The measure exempts U.S. House maps from constitutional requirements that districts be compact and connected, effectively overriding a 2022 court ruling. Championed by Governor Wes Moore, the effort responds to a nationwide mid-decade redistricting push led by President Donald Trump.
Approval and impact of Question 3
- ▪Redrawing Maryland's congressional map under Question 3, the congressional redistricting measure, is expected to eliminate Maryland's District 1, the state's sole Republican-held seat covering the Eastern Shore
- ▪Maryland voters approved ballot Question 3, the congressional redistricting measure
- ▪The passage of Question 3 on November 3, 2026, authorizes the Democratic-controlled Maryland General Assembly to redraw Maryland's U.S. House congressional districts prior to the 2028 elections
Political support and opposition
- ▪Maryland Democrats campaigned for Question 3, the congressional redistricting measure, as a strategy to counter President Donald Trump's push to redraw congressional districts for Republicans in other states
- ▪Former Republican Governor Larry Hogan opposed Question 3, the congressional redistricting measure, stating that the constitutional amendment moves Maryland backwards
- ▪Maryland Governor Wes Moore and former President Barack Obama publicly supported and campaigned for the passage of Maryland's ballot Question 3
Nationwide mid-decade redistricting context
- ▪President Donald Trump initiated a nationwide mid-decade redistricting push by calling on Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps to strengthen the Republican House majority
- ▪Courts blocked redrawn congressional maps from being utilized during the 2026 election cycle in Missouri and Virginia
- ▪Nine states enacted redrawn congressional maps between 2025 and 2026: Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah
Ballot placement and legal challenges
- ▪The Maryland General Assembly voted in August 2026 to place the Question 3 congressional redistricting constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot after Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson supported mid-decade redistricting
- ▪Maryland Republicans filed a lawsuit to prevent Question 3, the congressional redistricting measure, from appearing on the ballot, but the Maryland Supreme Court rejected the legal challenge
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