Annapolis, MD (JK) – Maryland Senate Republican leaders are criticizing plans for a special session of the General Assembly in August that would focus on changing the state’s constitutional requirements for drawing congressional districts.
Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey and Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready say the proposed changes would remove current standards requiring congressional districts to be compact and consider natural boundaries and county lines. They argue the changes could make it easier to redraw Maryland’s congressional map and potentially eliminate the state’s only Republican-held congressional seat, disenfranchising over 1 million Maryland voters. Maryland has been named one of the most gerrymandered states in the US by Independent Voter News due to a heavily disproportionate share of Democratic representatives.
The special session was announced by Governor Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson, and House Speaker Adrienne Jones Peña-Melnyk. Democratic leaders have not released the full details of the proposed constitutional amendment.
Republican lawmakers say Maryland families are facing higher costs, including rising energy prices and other financial pressures, and argue the legislature should focus on those issues instead.
Senate Republicans say they plan to introduce legislation during the session aimed at reducing energy costs, lowering vehicle fees, and addressing affordability concerns.
The Republican leaders also point to a redistricting proposal they introduced in 2025 that called for a bipartisan commission to oversee the process. They say that proposal would provide a fairer alternative to politically drawn district maps.
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