Maryland Judge Rules Against Gerrymandering Efforts
A Maryland judge determined on Wednesday that the Democrats’ effort to effectively eliminate the state’s only Republican congressional district was legally flawed.
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson concluded that the redistricting proposal HB 2100, which targeted Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), should not proceed as part of a referendum slated for November. To anticipate a potential appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court, Thompson placed a stay on his ruling.
Jeffrey Clark, vice president of litigation for the Oversight Project, represented the plaintiffs. He argued that Maryland Democrats ignored their own deadlines and the election laws.
Despite statutory requirements mandating that any alterations to statewide ballot measures be submitted by July 1, HB 2100 was introduced on August 3. The plaintiffs contended that this violated the deadline, improperly placing a redistricting issue on the November ballot.
On the other hand, Assistant Attorney General Daniel Kobrin maintained that the General Assembly’s constitutional powers were not limited by statutes.
Judge Thompson ultimately sided with Clark and during about five hours of arguments, he displayed ongoing skepticism regarding the state’s position.
“Why not be honest with the people about the power of a three-fifths majority?” Thompson queried Kobrin from the bench. “When will we tell the people that your government can essentially do what it pleases?”
The state promptly appealed to the Maryland Supreme Court.
“We respectfully disagree with the Circuit Court’s ruling and have already initiated our appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court,” stated Ammar Moussa, spokesperson for the Maryland Governor’s Office. “At a time when many states are manipulating congressional maps to silence voters and compromise fair representation, Maryland can’t afford to be complacent.”
State Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D) and Del. Kris Fair (D) were present at the hearing. The plaintiffs highlighted Kagan’s involvement in the ballot initiative.
“There’s simply no time to adhere to the clear language of the law given that the July 1st deadline is long gone,” Kagan stated in early August during discussions about the bill. Clark referenced her comments as evidence that Maryland Democrats intended to disregard election laws to ensure the redistricting measure made it onto the November ballot.
According to state law, ballots could start being printed as early as September 3. The Maryland Supreme Court is fast-tracking the case to reach a decision before ballot printing.
“It’s gratifying to see the Judge agreed with the list of legal missteps we presented that the General Assembly and Governor [Wes] Moore committed during their rushed Special Session,” Clark commented in a statement following the ruling. “Now, we’re set to vigorously defend this success in the appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court.”
Clark previously served as the acting administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs from March 2025 to March 2026, before joining the Oversight Project.
“This is a significant win not only for Maryland residents but also for advocates of justice nationwide. We had both the facts and the law on our side and emerged victorious, and that won’t change with a state appeal,” remarked Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project and a Maryland voter affected by the ruling.
Howell, alongside all seven members of the Maryland Freedom Caucus, as well as state Sens. Steve Hershey (R) and Justin Ready (R), filed a lawsuit against the State Board of Elections about HB 2100 on August 6.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for Maryland voters and the rule of law,” Rep. Harris stated in an X post on Wednesday.
Kagan and Fair did not respond to requests for comments.
