Today, the Anne Arundel Circuit Court of Maryland struck down the Maryland Congressional map on the grounds that the map unfairly favored Democrats. Judge Lynne A. Battaliga entered a declaratory judgment in favor of the plaintiffs finding the 2021 Congressional Map unconstitutional, permanently enjoining the use of the plan in any future elections, and providing the Maryland General Assembly with an opportunity to develop a new Congressional Map. 

Statement from Joanne Antoine, Executive Director of Common Cause Maryland

Today’s decision is a victory for Maryland voters who now have an opportunity to vote in fairer, more representative districts.  We know that our democracy works best when everyone, regardless of race or political party, has an equal opportunity to make their voice heard.

The Maryland General Assembly will now undertake the task of redrawing our congressional map to comply with the court’s order.  We strongly encourage the General Assembly to conduct this re-draw process transparently and provide meaningful opportunities for public input into the new map.

We also continue to call on the General Assembly to swiftly pass pending legislation that will ensure local Board of Elections are prepared to handle the influx of mail-in ballots and to make adequate funding available for robust public outreach so voters know when and where to vote in the primary election.

The congressional map belongs to the voters of Maryland, not the politicians. It’s time for the General Assembly to do right by the voters and lead a fair, open, and transparent process that results in fair maps.

Statement from Nikki Tyree, Executive Director of League of Women Voters of Maryland

This is an historic moment, the first time that a Maryland Congressional district map has been found to be in violation of the Maryland Constitution. The people of Maryland deserve to have an open, transparent, and nonpartisan redistricting process that ensures the reigning party cannot play politics with their lives and their votes. We urge the General Assembly to quickly correct the issues and produce a new, fairer map by the court’s March 30 deadline.