Maryland redistricting commission votes to recommend new congressional maps
Maryland's Redistricting Advisory Commission voted Tuesday to recommend a new congressional map.
The vote took place during a closed session, a spokesperson for the governor's office said.
The recommended map would redraw the 1st Congressional District, located on the Eastern Shore, and would expand it across the Chesapeake Bay into parts of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties. Multiple other districts would also shift, but would still favor Democrats.
The commission will now recommend the new map to the governor and General Assembly. Both the House and Senate will have to vote on the map before it is instituted.
"At a moment when other states are moving aggressively to redraw maps, and when fundamental voting rights protections face renewed threats, Maryland has a responsibility to lead with urgency," said Commission Chair Sen. Angela Alsobrooks. "Our goal is to ensure our congressional delegation reflects the will of the people, protects representation for historically underrepresented communities, and gives Marylanders a Congress that can serve as a real check on this President."
Redrawing Congressional Maps
Gov. Wes Moore assembled the commission in late November to make recommendations about mid-cycle redistricting.
In mid-December, the commission called for Marylanders to share map ideas and held public hearings to receive feedback.
Members of the redistricting commission include: Chair Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Senate President Bill Ferguson, the Speaker of the House, Cumberland Mayor Raymond Morriss, and former Attorney General Brian Frosh.
The last time Maryland redrew its congressional maps was in 2022, following the 2020 U.S. Census.
Congressional maps are usually redrawn every 10 years, after a census highlights shifts in the population.
Several other U.S. states are also pursuing mid-cycle redistricting efforts as Republicans seek to maintain their majority in Congress ahead of the 2026 elections. The push also comes after President Trump called on Texas Republicans to find more seats.
The effort has led to nine more seats that Republicans think they can win and six more that Democrats think they can win, the Associated Press reported.
"At a moment when other states are moving aggressively to redraw maps — and with some already signaling they want the Supreme Court to weaken or effectively nullify key protections in the Voting Rights Act — Maryland cannot afford to sit on the sidelines," Alsobrooks said in December.
Maryland leaders react
Several state leaders have expressed opposition to the redistricting effort.
Senate President Bill Ferguson called the recommended map "objectively unconstitutional," saying it "jeopardizes Maryland's existing map."
He has been a strong opponent of the redistricting effort.
"In this important moment, Maryland cannot risk going backwards by giving the Trump Administration another seat or two in Congress from Maryland's delegation," he said in a statement.
Ferguson has previously criticized the lack of transparency in the redistricting process.
"Ultimately, a flawed process has delivered a flawed product," he said Tuesday.
House Republicans also expressed their opposition to the recommended map.
"Maryland has a long and storied history of being one of the worst gerrymandered states in America, and the Commission's actions today further solidifies that legacy," said House Minority Whip Jesse Pippy.
A poll conducted by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) found that 41% of residents believe the current district lines are drawn unfairly, with 22% saying they currently favor Democrats, and 8% saying they favor Republicans.
