Maryland Lawmakers Discuss Redistricting Initiative Favoring Democrats
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Maryland lawmakers have initiated a special session to discuss a partisan redistricting proposal that could help Democrats gain an additional U.S. House seat by 2028. The proposed constitutional amendment, which aims to give the Democrats more control over the drawing of congressional maps, would need voter approval before new district lines could be considered. This move by Maryland, criticized by Republicans as a straightforward power grab, is the latest development in the ongoing national battle over redistricting.
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Maryland Democrats Launching Partisan Redistricting Initiative
A special session in Maryland will commence on Monday, as lawmakers discuss the initial phase of a partisan redistricting initiative. The goal? To potentially secure an extra U.S. House seat for Democrats by 2028.
The General Assembly is set to debate a proposed amendment aiming to enhance Democrats’ power to draw congressional maps in their favor, as Democrats currently represent seven of the state’s eight House districts.
This move, criticized by Maryland’s minority Republicans as a power grab, is the latest development in the national fight over redistricting, a process which has reshaped the U.S. House map for the coming midterms.
Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson initially blocked a similar redistricting initiative, fearing judicial backlash. However, his stance shifted after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, enabling Republicans to reconfigure districts in Southern states.
Maryland’s only Republican representative in Congress, Rep. Andy Harris, is facing potential challenges due to prior attempts to make his district more competitive to Democrats. Those attempts were, however, struck down in 2022 as being partisan gerrymandering.
Lawmakers are now aiming to amend the state constitution to clarify that the parameters the judge previously cited apply only to General Assembly districts, not congressional ones. With approval by a three-fifths vote of both chambers, the amendment would go before voters in the Nov. 3 general election. Following approval, lawmakers could revisit the congressional maps for the 2028 election cycle.
Republicans have expressed concerns about the Democrats’ move and the limitations set on testimony for the special session. Harris warned that the “gerrymandering this constitutional amendment sets up” could disenfranchise rural voters. Furthermore, Governor Wes Moore highlighted the urgency of the proposal in light of Republican initiatives elsewhere.
Maryland’s special session is part of the ongoing national redistricting battle. Some states, like Maryland and New York, are already making moves to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2028 elections.
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