Will individuals have a say in Maryland’s current redistricting issue in November?
Maryland, along with several other states, are divided by counties, as well as legislative districts. In the Maryland General Assembly, there are 141 state delegates and 47 state senators that represents all of Maryland’s constituents. These legislative districts split up areas of the state, and each district may have different cultures, political ideologies, landscapes, and fiscal or legislative needs.
Governor Wes Moore, announced Nov. 4, 2025, a Redistricting Advisory Committee to have individuals look over all options for redistricting. However, this received much backlash from Maryland Senate President, Bill Ferguson, D-District 41.
Aug. 3, 2026 through Aug. 5, 2026, the Maryland General Assembly held a special session called by Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-District 41, and Speaker of the House Peña-Melnyk, D-District 21.
Over the three days, both the house and senate debated and passed HB2100/SB2100. HB2100/SB2100 is a constitutional amendment that would clarify Article three, Section four of Maryland’s state constitution- which lays out Maryland’s legislative districts and how they are drawn.
Aug. 5, 2026, Governor Wes Moore signed this constitutional amendment, which gives voters in November the ability to decide on how congressional districts would be made through referendum questions on the ballot.
These changes are being discussed and voted on due to legal concerns that Maryland’s legislative districts being drawn would cause legal troubles. Common Cause Maryland stated, “Those concerns stemmed from a 2022 court ruling that raised questions about whether Maryland’s constitutional requirements for legislative districts also apply to congressional districts.”
This concern brings concerns now to a national level. While legislative districts is how the state is organized at a state government level, congressional districts are how states are divided at a national level.
However, trouble across Maryland Counties such as Dorchester County and Anne Arundel County dealing with if those individuals within the stated counties would be able to vote on this issue.
Aug. 6, 2026, Dorchester County Circuit Court was brought with the case Howell v. Maryland Board of Elections. This case claims that this bill was made unlawfully and did not fulfill requirements to constitutionally redistrict state lines. The current status of this case is still ongoing and the Maryland Supreme Court has yet to weigh in on the case.
Aug. 26, 2026, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court blocked HB2100 that was signed and passed by Governor Wes Moore. Anne Arundel Circuit Court declared that this bill is unlawful and violates Maryland’s own laws surrounding state ballot questions. Anne Arundel County is currently pending the appeal.
At the moment, the Carroll County Circuit Court has not declared any standing on HB2100. It is up to the Maryland individuals to have a say in how our state’s county lines are to be drawn among the 2028 presidential elections.