Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) praised lawmakers Tuesday after the General Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that would overhaul the state’s congressional redistricting process, framing it as a necessary response to Republican-led efforts in other states to redraw congressional maps.
The proposal, approved during a rare summer special session, would place before voters in November a constitutional amendment that clarifies how Maryland‘s congressional districts are drawn. The measure also cleared the state Senate and will be signed by Moore on Wednesday, and then it can be placed on the ballot.
Moore framed the proposal as part of a broader national fight over congressional maps as Republican-controlled states, led by Texas, pursue mid-decade redistricting efforts that could reshape the balance of power in the U.S. House.
“For over a year, I have warned that Donald Trump and Republicans across the country are working to rig the system, weaken voting rights, and make this pain permanent. I am proud that today we united and took action. I continue to believe that our country needs national redistricting reform. But until that happens, inaction is not an option. Maryland will not be caught flat-footed while Republicans engage in political redlining that guts decades of progress that the generations before us fought for,” Moore said in a statement.
The state House approved the measure largely along party lines, with Democrats arguing Maryland cannot remain on the sidelines while Republicans redistrict elsewhere. If ratified by voters, the amendment would give Marylanders the final say over any new congressional map through the constitutional amendment process. Of Maryland’s 10 congressional seats, nine are held by Democrats.
As GOP-led states have moved forward with Republican-drawn maps in time for the midterm elections, Democratic lawmakers have openly acknowledged their effort is a response to shift maps for the 2028 presidential election.
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Moore said the amendment keeps Maryland engaged in the national debate over maps while leaving the final decision to voters.
“By passing this constitutional amendment, the General Assembly has ensured that Maryland remains committed to being part of that conversation — and that the final decision will rest where it belongs: with the people of Maryland. I look forward to working together to pass the amendment with a strong YES vote in November,” he said.