Maryland court rules Democratic-backed redistricting amendment cannot go on November ballot
The judge said lawmakers failed to follow ballot procedures and used misleading wording, setting up a likely Maryland Supreme Court appeal.
- On Tuesday, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson questioned the state's argument that statutory election deadlines do not apply to ballot language written by the General Assembly, promising a ruling by Wednesday afternoon.
- The Maryland Freedom Caucus and the Oversight Project filed the legal challenge, arguing that lawmakers violated Senate Bill 29 by missing the July 1 deadline for public comment on the redistricting constitutional amendment.
- Assistant Attorney General Daniel Kobrin defended the legislative process, while plaintiffs' lawyers alleged the effort was a 'Keystone Cops' comedy of errors that violated Marylanders' due process rights.
- Maryland State Election Administrator Jared DeMarinis welcomed the judge 'understanding the urgency' for a ruling, as officials face an August 31 deadline to certify roughly 1,200 ballot variations for November 3.
- If approved by voters, the amendment would clarify that compact and contiguous requirements apply only to state legislative districts, potentially enabling Democrats to redraw congressional maps and eliminate Maryland's last Republican representative, Rep. Andy Harris.
82 Articles
82 Articles
Judge Blocks Democrats’ Redistricting Push in Maryland
The Hill A Maryland judge Wednesday blocked an effort that would have proposed a constitutional amendment to redraw the state’s congressional districts to residents, marking another setback for Democratic redistricting efforts. Judge Robert Thompson ruled against House Bill 2100 — signed into law by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Aug. 5 — calling the wording in parts of the proposed ballot question “intentionally misleading, and this should di…
Dems dealt a blow in Maryland redistricting bid, while Trump’s mail-in ballot plan clears hurdle
Democrats were dealt a blow Wednesday after a Maryland state court shot down a constitutional amendment to advance their redistricting plan aimed at picking up one seat, and President Trump's mail-in ballot plan got past a key legal hurdle.
Judge blocks Democrats redistricting push in Maryland
A Maryland judge Wednesday blocked an effort that would have proposed a constitutional amendment to redraw the state’s congressional districts to residents, marking another setback for Democratic redistricting efforts. Judge Robert Thompson ruled against House Bill 2100 — signed into law by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Aug. 5 — calling the wording in...
‘The Court Has No Choice’: Judge Torpedoes Maryland Gerrymandering Amendment From Ballot
A Maryland judge on Wednesday stopped a Democrat-backed gerrymandering measure from appearing on the ballot this year. Lawmakers had passed Senate Bill 29, and Gov. Wes Moore signed it in May, changing requirements for ballot questions, including a July 1 deadline. On Aug. 3, the House passed House Bill 2100 to place a mid-decade redistricting...
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