Maryland court rules Democratic-backed redistricting amendment cannot go on November ballot
The judge said lawmakers failed to follow ballot procedures and used misleading wording, setting up a likely Maryland Supreme Court appeal.
- On Tuesday, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson questioned the state's argument that statutory election deadlines do not apply to ballot language written by the General Assembly, promising a ruling by Wednesday afternoon.
- The Maryland Freedom Caucus and the Oversight Project filed the legal challenge, arguing that lawmakers violated Senate Bill 29 by missing the July 1 deadline for public comment on the redistricting constitutional amendment.
- Assistant Attorney General Daniel Kobrin defended the legislative process, while plaintiffs' lawyers alleged the effort was a 'Keystone Cops' comedy of errors that violated Marylanders' due process rights.
- Maryland State Election Administrator Jared DeMarinis welcomed the judge 'understanding the urgency' for a ruling, as officials face an August 31 deadline to certify roughly 1,200 ballot variations for November 3.
- If approved by voters, the amendment would clarify that compact and contiguous requirements apply only to state legislative districts, potentially enabling Democrats to redraw congressional maps and eliminate Maryland's last Republican representative, Rep. Andy Harris.
108 Articles
108 Articles
Maryland Judge Exposes Democrats' Sneaky Plot to Eliminate State's Only GOP Congressional Seat
A Maryland circuit court judge just blocked Democrats from ramming through a hastily crafted constitutional amendment designed to wipe out the state’s lone Republican-held congressional district, ruling the legislature brazenly ignored its own laws to get the measure on the November ballot. Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Thompson issued an injunction Wednesday barring the Maryland State Board of Elections from placing the amen…
Maryland Redistricting Blocked, Trump Voting Order Clears
A Maryland judge struck down Democrats' attempt to redraw the state's congressional map through a constitutional referendum he called "intentionally misleading", the same day a federal judge lifted the last injunction blocking Trump's mail-in voting executive order. Wednesday delivered a pair of courtroom setbacks for Democrats on two fronts they had counted on heading into the midterms. In Maryland, a state court judge appointed by former Repub…
Maryland judge spares state's last Republican representative — for now
A Maryland judge ruled on Wednesday that the Democrats' attempt to gerrymander their state’s lone Republican congressional district out of existence was legally deficient.Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson held that the redistricting measure HB 2100 threatening Rep. Andy Harris’ (R-Md.) seat should not move forward as part of a November referendum. Anticipating an appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court, Thompson stayed his ord…
The Southern Maryland Chronicle
cedarnews.netMaryland Republicans take round one in redistricting challenge
Maryland Republicans challenging a proposed state constitutional amendment on how congressional districts are drawn won an initial courtroom skirmish Wednesday, when an Anne Arundel County Circuit judge found multiple legal problems with how lawmakers passed the bill and the wording of a proposed ballot question. The 10-page decision Wednesday from Judge Robert J. Thompson comes almost 24 […]
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