MD Redistricting Blocked From November Ballot, Judge Rules

An Anne Arundel County judge has blocked a redistricting amendment from appearing on the upcoming November ballot.

The Wednesday ruling saw Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson determine that the redistricting measure was placed on the ballot unlawfully.

However, he paused the effect of the ruling to allow for an appeal to the state Supreme Court.

Breaking Down The Ruling

Thompson found that lawmakers had not only violated their own deadlines for ballot measures but had used "intentionally misleading" wording in the ballot question.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore had previously signed legislation requiring that summaries for all statewide ballot questions be certified by July 1. Officials unsuccessfully argued during proceedings that the deadline was not applicable since lawmakers wrote their own ballot summary.

Related:

• MD Redistricting Heads To November Ballot After Special Session

• Maryland Republicans Predict Legal Challenge To Constitutional Amendment On Redistricting

The amendment, according to Thompson, also violates a single-issue requirement in the Constitution by including a provision that would give the state Supreme Court original jurisdiction in lawsuits over congressional redistricting.

"The court has no choice but to enjoin the board of elections from including ballot Question 3 on the general election ballot for November 3, 2026," Thompson wrote in his ruling.

Reaction From Republicans

House Bill 2100 previously passed the House of Delegates with a 96-38 vote and the Senate with a 32-13 vote.

Republican lawmakers had largely opposed the redistricting measure, blasting it as a power grab.

In a statement, the Maryland Freedom Caucus praised the ruling.

"This was always rules for thee, but not for we," Delegate Ryan Nawrocki said in a release. "Annapolis Democrats wrote the deadlines, expected everyone else to follow them, and then ignored their own law the moment it was inconvenient. Today the court said that doesn't fly."

Related:

• MD Gov. Wes Moore Says He's 'Very Concerned' Trump Will Interfere In Midterm Elections
• Redistricting In MD: Lawmakers Book Special Session For August

Delegate Kathy Szeliga added that "a supermajority doesn't put you above the laws you pass, or above the Maryland and U.S. Constitutions."

Virginia and Maryland were both seeking to follow California's path, where voters approved a Democratic-backed amendment authorizing mid-decade redistricting. Democrats hope to gain as many as five congressional seats from California's redrawn districts, plus an additional seat from new districts in Utah.

To date, a total of eight states — Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas — have redrawn maps to help Republicans, who could pick up as many as 16 seats due to redistricting.

Redistricting typically happens near the beginning of each decade, after new census data is released. However, a mid-decade redistricting battle broke out after President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw congressional districts so lawmakers could hold onto a slim House majority ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.