Maryland lawmakers will meet for a special session next month to consider a constitutional amendment dealing with future congressional redistricting, legislative leaders announced Tuesday, following earlier this year to redraw the state’s maps to boost Democrats.
The move is the latest in the national battle over partisan redistricting, which has ahead of this year’s midterms and in states including Maryland could carry .
The Democratic-led Maryland General Assembly will meet beginning Aug. 3, legislative leaders said, to consider sending a constitutional amendment to voters this November intended to help clear the way later for a potential 8-0 congressional map. Democrats already hold a 7-1 advantage in the state鈥檚 U.S. House delegation; Rep. Andy Harris is the only GOP member.
Legislative leaders didn’t include the language of the proposed amendment in their news release. But they said it would 鈥渃larify鈥� the state constitution as it relates to , which also would have made Harris鈥檚 district easier for a Democrat to win.
If approved by a three-fifths vote of both chambers, the amendment would go before voters in the Nov. 3 general election. If approved there, lawmakers could eventually revisit the congressional maps for a future election cycle under the constitution’s new parameters.
“Maryland needs a durable, transparent constitutional framework for congressional redistricting that reflects the evolving legal landscape,鈥� said House Speaker Joseline Pe帽a-Melnyk said in a statement. 鈥淭his special session gives the General Assembly the opportunity to respond thoughtfully to recent court decisions while ensuring that Maryland voters have the final say on any proposed constitutional changes.鈥�
Maryland Republicans blasted the move as a power grab.
鈥淥ne Republican Congressman represents hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who deserve a voice in Washington. This special session is designed to erase that voice and hand national Democrats another seat in the U.S. House,鈥� Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready said in a statement.
Voting districts are typically redrawn once a decade after a census to account for population changes. But Trump to redraw districts mid-decade to try to prevent midterm losses, and Democrats responded by pursuing their own .
A U.S. Supreme Court decision in late April then , offering new grounds for Republicans to reconfigure districts with large minority populations that have elected Democrats.
Republicans up to 10 additional House seats under the new districts this year.
Maryland initially took up the issue earlier this year. The state House that would have made it easier for Democrats to win all eight congressional seats. But that plan was left to die in the state Senate, where Senate President Bill Ferguson argued .
Democratic Gov. Wes Moore has been vocal in his support for a renewed redistricting effort and said Tuesday in a statement that he appreciated lawmakers鈥� 鈥渁greement to come back to finish the work.鈥�
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