A Maryland state court on Wednesday ruled that a proposed constitutional amendment to redraw congressional districts cannot appear on the November 2026 ballot, though it stayed the decision to permit an appeal to the state Supreme Court.

The amendment, introduced by Democratic legislators, would amend the state constitution to exempt congressional districts from a requirement that they be compact and based on natural boundaries, a provision that currently applies only to legislative districts. That change could alter the composition of the district that includes Republican Representative Andy Harris, chair of the House Freedom Caucus.

Judge Robert Thompson of Anne Arundel County Circuit Court found that the legislature missed a July 1 deadline for the secretary of state to certify ballot summaries to the Maryland State Board of Elections. While the attorney general argued that the deadline did not apply because legislators drafted the summary, the judge sided with the Oversight Project and Republican lawmakers who contended the deadline was violated. He also said the ballot question used misleading language by describing the measure as merely clarifying constitutional standards.

Thompson further ruled that the amendment violated a single‑issue requirement by including a provision that would grant the state Supreme Court original jurisdiction over congressional redistricting lawsuits. Earlier this year, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated a similar ballot measure for procedural violations. Democrats hope the amendment could create additional seats in Maryland and California, while Republicans seek similar gains in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. Redistricting normally occurs after each decennial census, but a mid‑decade dispute emerged after former President Donald Trump encouraged Republican‑led states to redraw districts to aid House Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.

The appeal of the Maryland ruling remains pending, and the ultimate effect on the 2028 congressional map is yet to be determined.