Maryland will hold a special legislative session in August to begin the process of potentially redrawing its congressional lines ahead of the 2028 election, Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk announced in a joint statement Tuesday.
The move is state Democrats’ answer to Republican redistricting efforts all over the South, which sped up after the Supreme Court rolled back the Voting Rights Act in April.
“After recent court decisions weakened the federal Voting Rights Act and created new uncertainty around congressional redistricting, Maryland needs a clear legal path forward,” Ferguson said in a statement. “This special session will allow the General Assembly to do its part while ensuring that Maryland voters make the final decision.”
The special session is the first step in what could be a long path to redrawing the lines ahead of 2028. Legislators will vote on a state constitutional amendment that could codify their ability to make partisan, mid-decade changes to the state congressional map.
The measure could come before voters in November if it passes through the state Senate and House of Delegates.
Legislative leaders did not include the text of the proposed amendment in their Tuesday announcement. But should voters approve, lawmakers could then potentially draw the lines ahead of the 2028 election.
In a statement, Gov. Wes Moore — who is also a Democrat — said he planned to “work closely with the General Assembly as they consider legislation to ensure our state has the tools necessary to protect voters and defend fair representation.”
“For months, I have said that inaction is not an option and we cannot sit on the sidelines while voting rights, fair representation, and the foundations of our democracy come under attack across the country,” he said. “I appreciate the General Assembly’s continued conversations and the agreement to come back to finish the work.”
This pathway falls far short of what some Maryland Democrats were calling for earlier in the year to combat Republicans’ decided advantage in the House redistricting wars. Rep. Jamie Raskin was among the high-profile state party leaders who advocated for the state to redraw its congressional lines in time for the 2026 midterms.
Moore and Ferguson clashed over redistricting throughout this year. While Moore and others pushed to move ahead, Ferguson had long opposed redrawing for 2026, arguing that such an aggressive measure did not comport with the state Constitution and risked being overturned by the state Supreme Court.
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