Maryland Votes Today: Polls Close At 8 P.M. In Governor, Congress Races

Maryland voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to cast ballots in a rematch for governor between Democrat Wes Moore and Republican Dan Cox and decide whether to change the rules for drawing congressional districts.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at assigned polling places. Anyone in line by 8 p.m. may vote. Voters can check their polling location and registration here.

Still have a mail-in ballot? You must hand-deliver it to your local board of elections or place it in an official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday. Find ballot return information here.

Eligible residents who are not registered can still register and vote at the polling place assigned to their home address. Bring proof of residence, such as an MVA-issued license or ID, a utility bill, bank statement or paycheck showing your name and address.

The deadlines to request a ballot by mail or for online delivery have passed, but voters can request one in person at their local board of elections until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Check the office hours before you go.

Along with governor and attorney general, all eight of Maryland’s U.S. House seats are on the ballot. Races to watch include the 6th District, where Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney faces Republican Robin Ficker, and the open 5th District seat following Rep. Steny Hoyer’s retirement.

Question 3 asks whether to remove state constitutional restrictions on drawing congressional districts. Approval could let lawmakers pursue a new map for 2028 or later; it would not change the districts used in this election or automatically create a new map.

Here’s a look at the candidates, their priorities and what the redistricting question would do:

Governor: Moore And Cox Face Off Again

Democratic Gov. Wes Moore is seeking a second four-year term against former state Del. Dan Cox, whom he defeated in 2022. Green Party candidate Andy Ellis and Working Class Party candidate Cathy White are also on the ballot.

Voters choose the governor and lieutenant governor together as a ticket.

• Wes Moore, Democrat: Moore is running with Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. His campaign emphasizes affordability, jobs, public safety and public schools.
• Dan Cox, Republican: Cox is running with Rob Krop. He supports tax cuts, spending limits, fewer barriers to home construction and expanded energy production.
• Andy Ellis, Green Party: Ellis is running with Owen Silverman Andrews. His priorities include opposing data center development and reducing corporate influence in politics.
• Cathy White, Working Class Party: White is running with Cathy Permut. She emphasizes wages, job security and the costs facing working families.

Moore and Cox clashed over taxes, utility costs, the state budget and President Donald Trump during their Oct. 6 debate, according to Maryland Matters reporting published by Patch.

Cox pledged not to raise taxes or fees and criticized Moore’s handling of affordability. Asked whether he would raise taxes to address projected budget gaps, Moore emphasized attracting private investment. Moore also repeatedly tied Cox to Trump, arguing that federal policies had hurt Maryland residents.

Question 3: Should Maryland Change The Rules For Drawing Congressional Districts?

Question 3 asks voters whether Maryland lawmakers should have more freedom to draw the boundaries of the state’s eight U.S. House districts. Those boundaries determine which communities vote together to elect a member of Congress.

State constitutional rules currently limit how lawmakers can draw those lines. Districts must be compact and account for natural boundaries, such as the Chesapeake Bay, as well as county and city boundaries.

Voting for Question 3 would remove those state constitutional limits for congressional districts. That would make it easier for lawmakers to draw a map that favors their party. Federal election rules would still apply.

Voting against Question 3 would keep the current rules in place.

Democrats, who control Maryland’s legislature, hold seven of the state’s eight U.S. House seats. Changing the rules could help them redraw the remaining district, held by Republican Rep. Andy Harris, to make it easier for a Democrat to win.

Gov. Moore and other supporters say Maryland needs the change to counter Republican efforts to redraw districts in other states. Opponents say it would give politicians more power to choose their voters and weaken protections against partisan gerrymandering.

The vote would not change anyone’s district for this election. Approval would let lawmakers pursue a new map for 2028 or later; it would not automatically create one.

The proposal came from House Bill 2100 and its companion, Senate Bill 2100. It appears on the ballot as Question 3.

Attorney General: Brown Seeks A Second Term

Democratic Attorney General Anthony Brown faces Republican attorney James B. “Jim” Rutledge III.

Their campaigns offer different views of the office’s role in challenging federal policies.

Brown has defended Maryland’s participation in legal challenges to Trump administration actions. Rutledge has criticized suing the federal government over policy disagreements and said the office should focus more on Maryland issues, according to Maryland Matters reporting published by Patch.

Rutledge received the Fraternal Order of Police endorsement and has called for stronger support for law enforcement. Brown has defended police accountability efforts and his office’s work protecting Marylanders’ rights.

U.S. House: The Races To Watch

Every Maryland House seat is up for election every two years.

The 6th District merits an early look because of its relatively close recent election history. The 1st District carries added political stakes because of the redistricting debate, while the 5th District is an open seat following Rep. Steny Hoyer’s retirement.

Those distinctions do not mean all three races are toss-ups. Cook Political Report rates the 6th District as Solid Democratic.

District 1: Harris Faces Schwartz

Republican Rep. Andy Harris faces Democrat Dan Schwartz in the Eastern Shore-centered district. Harris is Maryland’s only Republican House member.

The race also provides a contrast over spending, health care and the federal government’s role in protecting consumers.

• Andy Harris, Republican: Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, emphasizes fiscal responsibility, limiting federal spending and protecting taxpayer money.
• Dan Schwartz, Democrat: Schwartz proposes reversing cuts to health care and food assistance, ending tariffs he says hurt farmers and families, and strengthening consumer protections. He also supports federal abortion-rights protections and a national ban on partisan gerrymandering.

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Harris clashed with audience members and reporters during a contentious debate with Schwartz in Cambridge, according to The Baltimore Banner.

The League of Women Voters hosted the forum, where the candidates discussed issues including energy prices, the war with Iran and federal policies.

Tensions escalated when Harris blamed Democratic environmental policies for rising diesel prices, prompting laughter and jeers from the audience. Harris accused attendees of being rude and invoked his First Amendment rights, at one point approaching an audience member and scolding her for interrupting.

The confrontations continued after the debate when Harris met with reporters. According to The Banner, he called one reporter's question "silly" and "stupid" and mocked the newspaper's journalists, suggesting they had difficulty understanding his answers.

Harris also confronted a Capital News Service reporter who was recording the exchange, incorrectly claiming Maryland law prohibited her from doing so without permission. He threatened to refer her to a prosecutor and instructed his staff to summon police to remove her.

Schwartz later told The Banner that Harris' conduct overshadowed the debate, saying the audience got a revealing look at its congressman.

District 5: An Open Seat After Hoyer

Democratic state Del. Adrian Boafo faces Republican Chris Chaffee for the seat opening with Rep. Steny Hoyer’s retirement. Hoyer has endorsed Boafo.

Boafo supports a higher federal minimum wage, expanded child care, and stronger Social Security protections. Chaffee’s priorities include border security, energy production and lowering the cost of living.

Boafo has also pledged to pursue a federal investigation into Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, according to an Oct. 22 Capital News Service report.

He told CNS that protecting federal workers and bringing federal jobs back to Maryland would be his leading priorities. Chaffee did not respond to CNS’s request for comment; his campaign website describes federal government shutdowns as irresponsible.

District 6: McClain Delaney Faces Ficker

Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney faces Republican Robin Ficker and Green Party candidate Moshe Landman in the district stretching from Western Maryland into Montgomery County.

McClain Delaney won about 53 percent of the vote in 2024 and defeated former Rep. David Trone in this year’s Democratic primary.

• McClain Delaney, Democrat: Her campaign emphasizes holding the Trump administration accountable, protecting access to health care and defending programs that support working families. She also highlights her background in communications policy and children’s online safety.
• Robin Ficker, Republican: Ficker calls for reducing federal spending and deficits, lowering taxes and regulations, supporting police and encouraging businesses to create American jobs.
• Moshe Landman, Green Party: Landman supports universal health care, cutting military spending, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and restoring polluted land and waterways.

Other Congressional Races

District 2: Olszewski Faces Wallace

Democratic Rep. Johnny Olszewski faces Republican Dave Wallace.

• Johnny Olszewski, Democrat: The former Baltimore County executive emphasizes lowering costs, expanding access to health care and protecting federal workers. He also supports government ethics reforms, including banning stock trading by members of Congress.
• Dave Wallace, Republican: Wallace’s platform emphasizes constitutional freedoms, government accountability, support for police and first responders, and changes to federal monetary policy intended to protect buying power.

District 3: Elfreth Faces Flowers

Democratic Rep. Sarah Elfreth faces Republican Berney Flowers.

Plans for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Elkridge have brought their differences over immigration enforcement into local focus.

Flowers told Capital News Service that residents would not notice or be affected by the facility and should not interfere with the federal government’s work, according to CNS reporting republished by the Southern Maryland Chronicle.

Elfreth has emphasized the need for congressional oversight of immigration enforcement. She also joined other Maryland lawmakers in seeking an investigation into ICE operations in Frederick, according to the report.

District 4: Ivey Faces Two Challengers

Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey faces Republican George McDermott and Green Party candidate Sam Husseini.

• Glenn Ivey, Democrat: Ivey emphasizes protecting federal workers, constitutional rights and government programs serving local communities. His campaign highlights opposition to Trump administration actions affecting the federal workforce.
• George McDermott, Republican: McDermott’s campaign focuses on government and judicial accountability, constitutional rights and what he describes as injustice in the court system.
• Sam Husseini, Green Party: Husseini emphasizes opposing war and redirecting resources toward community needs. His campaign also challenges corporate influence and the leadership of both major parties.

District 7: Mfume Faces Collier

Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume faces Republican Scott Collier.

• Kweisi Mfume, Democrat: Mfume’s recent work emphasizes reducing gun violence, expanding workforce training and supporting community safety programs. He has also pursued funding for flood protection and other Baltimore-area projects.
• Scott Collier, Republican: Collier identifies crime, education, drug abuse and economic conditions as priorities. His published positions oppose federal legislation protecting abortion rights, which he views as an issue for states.

District 8: Raskin Faces Riley And Wallace

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin faces Republican Cheryl Riley and Green Party candidate Nancy Wallace.

Raskin’s work campaigning for Democrats outside Maryland has become a point of contention with Riley.

An Oct. 22 Capital News Service report said Raskin had visited 43 congressional districts across 26 states since beginning his travels the previous year.

Riley told CNS that his travel showed he was putting other campaigns ahead of district needs. Raskin defended helping Democrats win congressional majorities, saying that would help them counter Trump’s policies. Some constituents interviewed by CNS also defended his national campaigning.