Maryland voters will decide in November whether to approve an amendment that would allow a new congressional map favoring Democrats in all eight of the state's U.S. House districts for the 2028 elections, according to multiple reports.
Key Takeaways
Maryland voters will decide in November on an amendment to allow a new congressional map favoring Democrats in all eight U.S. House districts for 2028 elections. The Democratic-dominated legislature approved the ballot measure, which passed with significant majorities in both chambers.
- Maryland voters to decide on congressional map amendment in November
- Amendment aims to favor Democrats in all eight U.S. House districts for 2028 elections
- Measure passed by significant majorities in both legislative chambers
- Republicans call the effort a power grab and violate state law
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▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 4 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congressional Map Amendment | Broad Agreement | Maryland voters to decide on congressional map amendment in November | |
| Amendment Aims For 2028 Elections | Broad Agreement | Amendment aims to favor Democrats in all eight U.S. House districts for 2028 elections | |
| Measure Passed By Significant Majorities | Broad Agreement | Measure passed by significant majorities in both legislative chambers | |
| Republicans Call Effort A Power Grab | Broad Agreement | Republicans call the effort a power grab and violate state law |
Congressional Map Amendment
Broad AgreementMaryland voters to decide on congressional map amendment in November
Amendment Aims For 2028 Elections
Broad AgreementAmendment aims to favor Democrats in all eight U.S. House districts for 2028 elections
Measure Passed By Significant Majorities
Broad AgreementMeasure passed by significant majorities in both legislative chambers
Republicans Call Effort A Power Grab
Broad AgreementRepublicans call the effort a power grab and violate state law
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The Democratic-dominated state legislature on Tuesday approved putting the amendment on the ballot, which requires three-fifths approval from both legislative chambers. The measure cleared the House 96-38 and the Senate 32-13 during a special session.
Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, praised lawmakers for putting the measure before voters, stating it was necessary to combat President Donald Trump's push for mid-decade redistricting that favors Republicans. "I continue to believe that our country needs national redistricting reform. But until that happens, inaction is not an option," Moore said in a statement.
Republicans have criticized the effort as a blatant power grab and a violation of a new state law intended to give voters more time to consider proposed amendments. In debate, Republican Delegate Kevin Hornberger told colleagues: "Just because we can go ultra-partisan doesn't mean we should go ultra-partisan." Democrats emphasized that the amendment does not include approval of any specific new maps.
The amendment is part of a broader reconfiguration of congressional district lines that began last year when Trump urged Republican-controlled states to adjust their maps to help the party in the 2026 midterm elections. Eight states have redrawn maps to help Republicans, who could pick up as many as 16 seats due to redistricting.
Maryland moved more slowly because Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson blocked an earlier initiative aimed at putting new maps in place for this year. Ferguson's view changed after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in April, giving Republicans grounds for reconfiguring districts with large minority populations.
The question that could go to voters is designed to make it hard for the court to reject redistricting by clarifying that certain parameters apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones. This would allow congressional districts to cross the Chesapeake Bay, giving Democrats an edge in every district.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 4 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.