A lawsuit in Maryland aims to prevent a redistricting amendment, supported by Democrat Governor Wes Moore, from being included on the November ballot. The case filed in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court argues state officials moved forward with the measure despite missing the statutory deadline for certifying ballot questions.
The complaint was submitted by the conservative group Oversight Project along with Republican lawmakers. They contend that the state’s deadline of July 1 for certifying statewide ballot questions had already passed before a special session approved the proposal. The plaintiffs fear the amendment could result in an 8-0 Democratic congressional delegation.
HB 2100 would permit voters to alter the Maryland Constitution to exempt congressional districts from current state constitutional standards on compactness and boundaries. The lawsuit references a Department of Legislative Services note stating that the deadline for certification and public notice had elapsed.
“There is no time to comply with the plain language of the law with our new law because July 1st is in the rearview mirror,” stated Democratic state Sen. Cheryl Kagan.
Maryland GOP Delegate Matt Morgan expressed concerns about the rushed process. He claims last-minute language changes aimed to bypass missed deadlines. Morgan stated, “They have the law. They’re supposed to follow it. They didn’t.”
Republican Delegate Kathy Szeliga also criticized the lack of public input, describing it as a political maneuver. She asserted, “The public got absolutely no time to look and weigh in on the amended language.”
The amendment seeks to counter a 2022 state court decision that applied constitutional standards to congressional redistricting. Maryland Democrats currently hold seven of the eight U.S. House seats, and the amendment is seen as a response to Republican redistricting efforts in other states. Governor Moore defended the amendment as ensuring Marylanders have control over their representation.
The lawsuit requests the court to stop state officials from certifying or printing votes on the amendment, citing the need for a quick decision due to the looming election.
Jasmine Baehr, a reporter for Fox News Digital, contributed to this article.