Maryland lawmakers are moving closer to asking voters to approve a new congressional map that would aim to secure Democratic advantages in all eight of the state's U.S. House districts. The Democratic-controlled House of Delegates approved a proposed ballot amendment on Tuesday, with the state Senate expected to vote later the same day.
Approval from both legislative chambers, by a three-fifths majority, is required to send the measure to the statewide ballot in November. Republicans have characterized the effort as a partisan power grab. "Just because we can go ultra-partisan doesn't mean we should go ultra-partisan," said Republican Delegate Kevin Hornberger during House debate. Other Republican lawmakers expressed concerns that the proposal lacked constituent support, and one Democratic legislator voiced worries that combining rural and suburban areas into single districts could lead to a loss of federal resources for the state's rural communities. The measure advanced in the House with a 96-38 vote.
This potential reconfiguration follows a trend initiated last year when President Donald Trump encouraged Republican-controlled states to redraw congressional district lines to benefit the party in the 2026 midterm elections. Typically, redistricting occurs only once every decade following the release of new Census data. Several states, including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas, have already implemented maps favoring Republicans, which could result in up to 16 additional seats for the party. Conversely, new maps in California and Utah are projected to provide Democrats with an advantage in six races.
Maryland's approach to redistricting has been more measured. State Senate President Bill Ferguson had previously blocked an earlier proposal for new maps this year, citing concerns that the state Supreme Court, whose members were largely appointed by a Republican former governor, might reject it. A judge had previously struck down a map favored by Democrats in 2022.
Ferguson indicated his stance shifted after the U.S. Supreme Court's April decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act. This ruling, he suggested, provided Republicans with grounds to redraw districts containing significant minority populations in Southern states.
The proposed ballot question is intended to clarify the criteria for redistricting, making it more difficult for the courts to reject. It would specify that parameters like compact district shapes and consideration of "natural boundaries" apply solely to state legislative districts, not congressional ones. This distinction would permit congressional districts to span across the Chesapeake Bay, a configuration that currently encompasses the sole district on the rural Eastern Shore, which is also represented by Republican Andy Harris, chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.