Overview
- Delegates voted 99–37 to approve Gov. Wes Moore’s mid‑cycle congressional map, sending the measure to the state Senate after hours of debate.
- The plan reconfigures the Eastern Shore‑based 1st District by removing Cecil and Harford counties and adding parts of Anne Arundel and Howard, making Rep. Andy Harris more vulnerable.
- Senate leaders signal the bill will likely be routed to the Rules Committee, which meets infrequently and is controlled by allies of Ferguson, leaving passage in serious doubt.
- The legislation places constitutional amendments on the November ballot to keep the new lines for 2028 and 2030 and to loosen state criteria such as compactness and existing boundaries.
- Legal fights are widely expected given a 2021 state ruling against an “extreme partisan gerrymander,” with looming deadlines of Feb. 24 for candidate filing and a June 23 primary heightening timing risks.