Maryland court rules Democratic-backed redistricting amendment cannot go on November ballot
Summary
A Maryland court ruled that a proposed amendment to change how congressional districts are drawn cannot appear on the November 2026 ballot. The amendment, supported by Democrats, aimed to allow redrawing of districts to favor the party but was blocked due to missed deadlines and misleading ballot language. The judge paused the ruling to allow an appeal to the state Supreme Court.Key Facts
- The court ruling prevents a Democratic-backed amendment from being on the November 2026 ballot in Maryland.
- The amendment sought to change rules so congressional districts could be drawn differently, specifically ignoring rules about compactness and natural boundaries.
- Democrats currently hold seven of Maryland’s eight congressional seats and want to gain the last one.
- Governor Wes Moore called a special legislative session in August focused on redistricting efforts.
- The court found that lawmakers missed a July 1 deadline to certify ballot summaries for statewide questions.
- The judge said the ballot language was misleading, calling the amendment a “clarification” when it made bigger changes.
- The amendment also included giving the state Supreme Court original jurisdiction over redistricting lawsuits, which violated a rule allowing only single issues per ballot question.
- The ruling was paused to allow for an appeal to Maryland’s Supreme Court.
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