Maryland lawmakers send congressional redistricting amendment to voters for 2028 maps

Maryland lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday that could clear the way for a new congressional map before the 2028 elections, but the measure does not redraw districts or change Maryland’s 2026 congressional election.

The House voted 96-38 and the Senate voted 32-13 on August 4 to send the amendment to voters. The vote came during a special session scheduled for August 3-5, convened to address the constitutional standards governing Maryland’s congressional districts.

What lawmakers approved

The amendment would clarify that constitutional requirements for Maryland legislative districts do not apply to the state’s congressional districts.

State legislative districts elect members of the Maryland General Assembly. Congressional districts elect members of the U.S. House. The amendment would not itself establish new boundaries, remove a current representative or change the configuration of Maryland’s eight congressional districts.

Nothing changes for the 2026 election

Maryland’s existing congressional districts remain in place for the 2026 election. Voters will not receive a new congressional map as a direct result of the August 4 vote.

The next question is whether voters will approve the constitutional amendment. The measure is expected to be considered in the November 3, 2026, general election, but the Maryland State Board of Elections’ ballot-questions page reviewed August 5 did not yet list the congressional redistricting question. Final ballot placement and wording remain subject to election-administration processing and certification.

Why the special session was called

Gov. Wes Moore’s July 17 proclamation called the General Assembly into special session beginning August 3. The proclamation said the session was being convened to amend the state constitution and clarify that requirements governing state legislative districts do not apply to Maryland’s congressional districts.

Moore and Democratic lawmakers described the effort as a response to redistricting initiatives associated with President Donald Trump and Republicans in other states. They argued that Maryland should be able to respond if congressional maps are changed during the decade rather than only after the next federal census, according to The Associated Press.

Republican lawmakers criticized the proposal as a partisan power grab and questioned whether the accelerated process gave voters enough time to consider a constitutional amendment. Delegate Kevin Hornberger said during House debate that the state should not pursue an “ultra-partisan” approach simply because it could, AP reported. One Democratic lawmaker also raised concerns that a future map could combine rural communities with suburban areas in ways that affect representation and federal resources.

What a yes vote could lead to

If voters approve the amendment, the General Assembly could later consider a congressional map for the 2028 election cycle. That would be a separate legislative action requiring lawmakers to draw and approve actual district boundaries.

The potential reach is statewide. A future map could affect all eight Maryland U.S. House districts, not only the state’s current Republican-held seat. Democrats currently hold seven of the eight seats, according to AP.

Approval of the amendment would not guarantee a particular map or political outcome. It would instead clarify the constitutional distinction lawmakers are relying on before any later mapmaking process.

What happens next

The amendment must move through Maryland’s election-administration process before voters can decide it. Residents should look for certified ballot language from the State Board of Elections, including whether the question is formally placed on the November 3 ballot and how the proposed constitutional change is described.

For now, the practical takeaway is straightforward: Maryland congressional voters will use the existing districts in 2026. The longer-term question is whether voters approve the amendment this fall and, if they do, whether lawmakers pursue a new map for 2028.

Sources

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