August 26, 2026

WBAL

The redistricting ballot question approved by lawmakers during a special session cannot go on the November ballot, an Anne Arundel County judge ruled Wednesday.

Following Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson’s decision, Democrats and Republicans have weighed in on the ruling.

Republican State Delegate Kathy Szeliga expressed satisfaction with the decision.

“And we are excited to say that we were victorious today,” Szeliga said.

Democratic Senator Cheryl Kagan voiced her disappointment.

“It’s definitely disappointing,” Kagan said.

The judge ruled that the proposed constitutional amendment cannot move forward, but he paused the effect of that ruling to allow for an appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court.

Thompson took issue with the process, timing and wording of the bill.

“So the process was transparent. It was thoughtful. The wording of the proposed legislation was carefully considered by the Attorney General and others,” Kagan told WBAL-TV 11 News.

“The judge’s opinion, first and foremost, confirmed what we had been alleging, which is the Maryland General Assembly broke the law,” Szeliga said.

The issue will head to the Supreme Court, once an appeals is filed by the state.

Roger Hartley, a professor of public and international affairs at the University of Baltimore, emphasized the importance of timing in the court’s decision.

“Unless the state Supreme Court reverses the judge, then and again in a timely way, then it needs to be done quickly, or there won’t be enough time for the election,” Hartley said.

Hartley explained that Democrats have options if the Supreme Court upholds the ruling.

“If that’s all upheld and the state Supreme Court agrees, then they would have to decide if they were really serious about this. They would have to decide to go back and do it procedurally correctly in the way that the justices noted was incorrect. And if the ballot issue wording was off, then they would have to correct that too. Meaning they could do that in another special session. They could do that in the next general session,” Hartley said.

He also noted the significance of the court’s composition.

“It is worth noting that this was (a) Republican-appointed judge that actually ruled against the amendment, and on the current state supreme court, there are five appointees to two,” Hartley said.

Out of the seven justices, five were appointed by former Governor Larry Hogan, while two were appointed by Democratic governors.

“Just because a Republican appointed the judge or the justice doesn’t mean 100% that they vote in a more conservative way,” Hartley said. “And that they’re necessarily going to uphold this.”