Full Breakdown
Maryland Voters Face Question 3: A Constitutional Amendment to Alter Congressional Redistricting
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – What Question 3 Proposes
Question 3 would amend the Maryland Constitution to remove the “compact and connected” requirement for congressional districts, limiting it to state legislative districts. It gives the General Assembly authority to redraw congressional maps and grants the Maryland Supreme Court original jurisdiction to review any congressional districting plan. The amendment does not redraw maps automatically; it authorizes the legislature to act in the next session.
Background & Context
In August 2024 the General Assembly added Question 3 to the November ballot, passing the House 96-38 and the Senate 32-13. Republican groups sued over filing deadlines and ballot wording; the state Supreme Court allowed the measure to appear after clarifying the language. Proponents, including Governor Wes Moore, argue the amendment is needed to counter “Trump-era” redistricting elsewhere. Opponents say it would enable partisan gerrymandering and could eliminate the lone Republican congressional seat on the Eastern Shore.
Data & Statistics – Public Opinion
A UMBC poll from September 2024 found 53 % of likely voters opposed Question 3, 25 % supported it, and 19 % were undecided. Among independent voters, 59 % indicated a “no” vote.
Official Statements & Responses
- Governor Moore’s legal team, Sandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the “Truth for Maryland” PAC over unauthorized use of the governor’s name and image.
- Protect Maryland Votes, a bipartisan group, stated that “Marylanders know Governor Moore is voting yes on Question 3 to put a stop to Donald Trump and his MAGA power grabs across the country.”
- The “Truth for Maryland” PAC, chaired by Andrew Brightwell, called the cease-and-desist effort “weaponization of our legal system” and pledged to continue its campaign.
Criticism & Opposition
- Luca Amayo, spokesperson for Fight Back MD, dismissed the ad as “dirty tricks” that “voters won’t buy.”
- Doug Mayer, spokesperson for Protect Maryland Votes, called the ad “obviously brilliant” for exposing “the other side’s blatant hypocrisy.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “It gives us an opportunity to remind Marylanders just how detrimental it is,” — Morgan
- “This assault on our democracy is real that we are seeing from Donald Trump. By voting yes on Question 3, is just simply saying the power of elections and the power of our democracy belongs to the people of Maryland and not to Donald Trump,” — Gov. Wes Moore
What’s Next – Upcoming Milestones
Early voting for the 2026 general election begins this week, with Question 3 appearing statewide on the November 2026 ballot. If approved, the amendment would let the General Assembly start the redistricting process, though new congressional maps could not be drawn until at least 2028. The vote will also test Governor Moore’s political influence ahead of his 2026 re-election campaign.