Overview
- The Maryland General Assembly approved House Bill 2100 on Tuesday, with the House voting 96–38 and the Senate 32–13, and sent the constitutional amendment referendum to the governor for placement on the Nov. 3 ballot.
- If voters ratify the measure, congressional districts would no longer be subject to the state constitution’s compactness and ‘‘natural boundaries’’ rules, which would allow the General Assembly to consider new maps for 2028.
- The change would not affect the 2026 elections and sponsors say the amendment is a legal clarification to prepare the state for mid‑decade redistricting after recent federal court and Supreme Court changes.
- Opponents, including Eastern Shore Republicans, say the move is a partisan effort to target Maryland’s lone GOP-held seat and they predict immediate litigation and strong local pushback if the amendment wins voter approval.
- The push traces to a 2022 state judge’s decision applying compactness rules to congressional maps and to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that altered Voting Rights Act enforcement, and the bill would also send original congressional‑map challenges directly to the Maryland Supreme Court for faster review.