Maryland court rules Democratic-backed redistricting amendment cannot go on November ballot

A Maryland court has blocked a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Democrats to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2028 elections. The ruling from Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson prevents the amendment from appearing on the November ballot, though it temporarily pauses the decision pending appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court.

Democrats have already secured seven of Maryland's eight congressional seats. The amendment aimed to bypass a previous court decision that rejected a 2022 Democratic redistricting plan. It would have allowed districts to cross the Chesapeake Bay, potentially reshaping a Republican-held district. However, the judge found that lawmakers did not adhere to established deadlines for ballot measures and that the amendment's language was misleading.

The decision opens the door for a challenge to Maryland's redistricting efforts in the state's highest court.