Maryland Republicans secured a major courtroom victory Wednesday after an Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge blocked a Democrat-backed constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting from appearing on the November midterm ballot.
The ruling creates a significant obstacle for Maryland Democrats attempting to alter constitutional redistricting parameters, a move Republicans argue was designed to redraw district boundaries and eliminate the seat held by Representative Andy Harris—the sole Republican in Maryland’s eight-member U.S. House delegation.
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Thompson ruled that the Maryland State Board of Elections cannot place the proposed constitutional question before voters this fall.
The legal battle centers on House Bill 2100, which was approved by Maryland’s Democratic-controlled General Assembly during a two-day special legislative session in early August and subsequently signed into law by Democratic Governor Wes Moore.
The proposed amendment sought to clarify that Maryland constitutional requirements mandating districts to be compact, contiguous, and respectful of political boundaries apply exclusively to state legislative districts rather than federal congressional districts, while granting the Supreme Court of Maryland original jurisdiction over map challenges.
The lawsuit was brought by Oversight Project President Mike Howell alongside Republican members of the Maryland House and Senate. The plaintiffs argued that the General Assembly violated Senate Bill 29—a state law enacted earlier this year requiring statewide ballot measures to be certified by July 1 and undergo a mandatory 15-day public comment period. Because lawmakers passed HB 2100 in August, they included language exempting the measure from the procedural requirements of SB 29.
During court proceedings, Judge Thompson questioned the legislature's decision to bypass its own newly enacted statutory guidelines to meet an expedited political deadline.
"How can the legislative branch enact legal requirements and then simply avoid those same requirements when pursuing a new political objective?"
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Thompson questioned during the hearing.
The judicial intervention comes as state election officials face an August 31 deadline to certify approximately 1,200 distinct ballot configurations ahead of the November 3 election. Maryland State Election Administrator Jared DeMarinis previously stressed the necessity of immediate legal clarity to finalize ballots and initiate mail-in distribution.
While the Maryland State Board of Elections retains the option to appeal the decision, and a parallel legal challenge remains pending in Dorchester County, Wednesday’s ruling halts administrative preparations to include the redistricting referendum on the upcoming ballot.
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