By Sohaib Shams
Maryland voters have approved a constitutional amendment that clears the way for Democratic lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional map before the 2028 election, NBC News projects. The measure, known as Question 3, exempts congressional redistricting from state constitutional requirements that districts be compact and respect natural and political boundaries.
Governor’s Push and Legislative Battle
The result marks a significant victory for Gov. Wes Moore, a potential 2028 presidential contender who strongly advocated for the amendment. In 2022, a Democratic effort to reshape the state’s lone Republican-held House district was rejected by a state judge as unconstitutional. While Moore and Democratic leaders in the state House and Congress backed a new map for the 2026 elections, state Senate President Bill Ferguson initially declined, citing legal risks and potential political backlash.
Shift Toward Mid-Decade Redistricting
Ferguson later opened the door to mid-decade redistricting after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act, which further fueled Republican efforts to draw new maps in other states. In August, the Democratic-controlled legislature voted to place the constitutional amendment on the November ballot, allowing redistricting ahead of the 2028 cycle.
National Redistricting Wave
The Maryland vote continues an unusual mid-decade redistricting season sparked by former President Donald Trump’s call for Republican-run states to redraw maps to shore up the party’s narrow House majority. Since 2025, nine states — Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Utah — have enacted new congressional maps, while courts blocked redrawn maps in Missouri and Virginia.
