Maryland Legislature Plans Special Session on Redistricting

Next month, the Maryland legislature will convene a special session. This move follows Democratic lawmakers’ proposal for a constitutional amendment aimed at redistricting. The session highlights a broader Democratic response to recent Republican-led redistricting efforts in the South.

The proposed change comes after GOP redistricting has created new districts favoring Republican outcomes. These changes have notably affected Black-majority districts in the South, following a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act.

The special session will occur too late to influence this fall’s midterm elections. Republican-leaning districts will remain in effect for these elections. Democratic leaders in Maryland see this special session as a key part of a nationwide strategy to address perceived imbalances resulting from recent gerrymandering activities.