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Maryland Approves Gerrymandering Safeguard Amendment, GOP to Sue

8/6/2026

Center

Maryland Legislature Approves

The Maryland General Assembly approved constitutional amendment House Bill 2100 on August 4, 2026, voting 96-38 in the House and 32-13 in the Senate.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey announced a state-court lawsuit will be filed to block the amendment from the November 2026 ballot.
Governor Wes Moore said he will sign the amendment before the November ballot.
Supporters claim the amendment only clarifies federal standards will govern future congressional maps.

Left

Maryland Legislature Approves

The Maryland General Assembly approved a constitutional amendment (House Bill 2100) on August 4, 2026, voting 96-38 in the House and 32-13 in the Senate.
Democrats presented the amendment as a voter-centered safeguard against President Donald Trump-driven GOP gerrymandering and a weakened Voting Rights Act.
The amendment limits compactness and natural-boundary rules to state legislative districts, not congressional districts.
Republican senators warned the measure could trap courts, preventing review of partisan congressional maps.

Blindspot

Governor Wes Moore said the special session was called because President Donald Trump forced Maryland to act, framing the amendment as a response to Trump-driven gerrymandering.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

After Tennessee failed to redraw its legislative districts since 1901, the Supreme Court’s 6-2 ruling in Baker v. Carr (1962) declared redistricting justiciable and launched the “one-person-one-vote” era, later reinforced by Wesberry (1964) and Reynolds (1964). Maryland’s 2024 amendment, championed by Governor Wes Moore and Democratic leaders, invokes that precedent to curb partisan gerrymandering linked to the Trump era.

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Maryland Legislature Approves

The Maryland General Assembly approved constitutional amendment House Bill 2100 on August 4, 2026, voting 96-38 in the House and 32-13 in the Senate.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey announced a state-court lawsuit will be filed to block the amendment from the November 2026 ballot.
Governor Wes Moore said he will sign the amendment before the November ballot.
Supporters claim the amendment only clarifies federal standards will govern future congressional maps.

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