MarylandMaryland voters would decide new rules for congressional district maps
Maryland voters would decide in November 2026 whether to limit state district standards to legislative maps and let lawmakers authorize Supreme Court review of congressional maps.
What it does
If voters approve the amendment, Maryland’s current constitutional district standards would clearly apply to state legislative maps, not congressional maps.
If approved, the amendment would let the General Assembly give Maryland’s Supreme Court original authority to review the state’s congressional map.
If voters approve it, the amendment would say Maryland’s Constitution supplies no standards for congressional map boundaries, while federal law and applicable state statutes still apply.
Argument forClearer separation between state and congressional map rules could reduce confusion about which standards courts and lawmakers should use.
Argument againstRemoving state constitutional standards for congressional maps could leave mapmakers with fewer state-level rules for reviewing boundary choices.
More detail
The constitutional amendment would limit Maryland’s compactness, equal-population, adjoining-territory, and boundary rules to state legislative districts. The rules would apply to districts for the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates, not congressional districts. The change would remain subject to the U.S. Constitution, federal law, and any Maryland statute that expressly governs congressional districts. The amendment would not set demographic targets, require proportional representation, guarantee an election result, or allow discrimination barred by federal law. Voters would have to approve the amendment before it takes effect. Maryland voters would vote on the amendment at the November 2026 general election; the change would apply only if adopted.
The amendment would give the General Assembly constitutional authority to grant the Supreme Court of Maryland original jurisdiction over a congressional districting plan. This authority concerns Maryland’s congressional districting plan and would allow the General Assembly to decide whether to grant that review power. The amendment would authorize the General Assembly to grant jurisdiction, but it would not itself require the General Assembly to do so. Voters would have to approve the amendment before this authority becomes available. Maryland voters would decide this change at the November 2026 general election; the authority would be available only if the amendment is adopted.
The amendment would state that Maryland’s Constitution does not provide the standards for drawing congressional district boundaries. The provision covers congressional districting plans and does not remove requirements imposed by the U.S. Constitution, federal law, or applicable Maryland statutes. The amendment would not itself establish new congressional mapping standards. Voters would have to approve the amendment before this statement becomes part of the Constitution. The provision would be decided at the November 2026 general election and would apply only if voters adopt the amendment.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Aug 5Approved by the Governor Wes Moore, assigned a chapter number, enactment subject to constitutional referendum - Chapter 881Became Law
- Aug 4Returned Passed
- Vote recorded Floor Amendment Simonaire /713626/1. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Motion to limit debate. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Suspended Rule 24 to allow two readings of a bill in the same day. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Floor Amendment Salling /763427/1. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Floor Amendment Ready /393120/1. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Floor Amendment Hershey /213220/1. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Floor Amendment West /943226/1. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Floor Amendment Gallion /473622/1. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded On Third Reading (Const). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Bill is on Third Reading for Final Passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 4Third Reading PassedPassed Senate
- Aug 4Floor Amendment {
- Aug 4Ruled Out of Order
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- Aug 4Ruled Out of Order
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- Aug 4Motion Rules Suspend Two Readings Same Day Const/Rule 24 (Senator Feldman) Adopted
- Aug 4Second Reading Passed
- Aug 4Floor Amendment {
- Aug 4FavorableMinor
- Aug 4Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentMinor
- Aug 4Referred Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentMinor
- Aug 4Third Reading PassedPassed House
- Aug 3Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Arikan /623323/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Motion to Suspend Rules from 1st to 2nd Rdg (Const). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Szeliga /633228/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Kipke /163923/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Morgan, M. /283424/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Morgan, M. /423426/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Long, R. /183623/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Pippy /823729/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded FLA Del. Griffith /563421/1. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Committee Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 3Ruled Out Of Order
- Aug 3Floor Amendment {
- Aug 3Ruled Out Of Order
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- Aug 3Ruled Out Of Order
- Aug 3Floor Amendment {
- Aug 3Decision of the Chair upheld
- Aug 3Appeal of the decision of the Chair (Delegate Buckel)
- Aug 3Ruled Out Of Order
- Aug 3Floor Amendment {
- Aug 3Floor Amendment {
- Aug 3Ruled Out Of Order
- Aug 3Floor Amendment {
- Aug 3Floor Amendment {
- Aug 3Decision of the Chair upheld
- Aug 3Appeal of the decision of the Chair (Delegate Buckel)
- Aug 3Ruled Out Of Order
- Aug 3Floor Amendment {
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- Aug 3Favorable with Amendments {Minor
- Aug 3Motion Rules Suspend Two Readings Same Day (Delegate Moon) Adopted
- Aug 3Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and ElectionsMinor
- Aug 3First Reading Government, Labor, and ElectionsMinor
- Jul 29Hearing 8/03 at 12:00 p.m.Introduced
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