Maryland court blocks Democrats’ redistricting amendment from November ballot

Key Points:

• A Maryland court ruled against a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Democrats to redraw congressional districts before the 2028 elections, blocking it from the November ballot pending appeal.
• The amendment aimed to exempt congressional districts from a constitutional requirement for compactness and natural boundaries, potentially enabling Democrats to reshape a Republican-held district east of the Chesapeake Bay.
• Judge Robert Thompson found lawmakers missed certification deadlines, used misleading ballot language, and violated a single-issue rule by combining redistricting and judicial jurisdiction provisions in the amendment.
• This ruling is part of a broader national struggle, with Democrats seeking mid-decade redistricting to counter Republican efforts led by former President Trump to redraw districts for electoral advantage.
• Similar legal challenges have occurred in Virginia, while Democrats hope to replicate California’s successful mid-decade redistricting to gain congressional seats, amid Republican efforts to expand their House majority through redistricting in multiple states.