Governor Wes Moore Calls Special Session, GOP Pushes Back

State of MD - Governor Wes Moore announced yesterday that he's calling for a special session of the Maryland General Assembly for August 3-5, 2026. The announcement came alongside Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Joseline Pena-Melnyk.

The session's goal is to rewrite parts of the state constitution that govern how congressional districts are drawn. Critics say the change would eliminate Maryland's only Republican voice in Congress, a seat that represents the Eastern Shore currently held by Andy Harris.

Governor Moore explained his reasoning in a statement. "For months, I have said that inaction is not an option and we cannot sit on the sidelines while voting rights, fair representation, and the foundations of our democracy come under attack across the country," Moore said. "I appreciate the General Assembly's continued conversations and the agreement to come back to finish the work."

He also pointed to national trends as part of his justification. "Across the country, we are watching coordinated efforts to weaken voting rights, dilute Black representation, and bend the rules of democracy for partisan gain - at the very moment when core protections of the Voting Rights Act have been gutted and the right to fair representation is under assault," he said. "Until we have national redistricting reform, Maryland will not be caught flat-footed."

Moore added that his administration will work closely with lawmakers on the issue going forward. "We are going to stay ready, stay focused, and make sure every Marylander has a voice in the future of our state," he said.

Senate Republicans see it differently. Minority Leader Steve Hershey called the move a distraction from real issues Marylanders face. "Marylanders are watching their bills go up and their options go down, and his response is to spend political capital on a Washington power play," Hershey said. "That is not leadership. That is an abdication of it."

Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready went further, framing the effort as a straightforward power grab. "One Republican Congressman represents hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who deserve a voice in Washington," Ready said. "This special session is designed to erase that voice and hand national Democrats another seat in the U.S. House."

According to Senate Republicans, the proposal would strip language from the state constitution requiring congressional districts to be compact and to respect natural boundaries and county lines.

Those are the same standards a court used in 2022 to strike down an earlier Democratic map.
Republicans also point to their own Fair Districts for Maryland Act, introduced in November 2025, which called for a bipartisan redistricting commission. That bill did not advance.

Lawmakers aren't expected to finalize a new congressional map during the August session. Instead, they'll debate a constitutional amendment that could open the door to redistricting down the line, with voters potentially weighing in this November.

In the end, this will be a voters choice, as it will most likely end up on the November ballot.