MD House Approves New Congressional Maps

Legislation approving new congressional maps was passed in the Maryland House of Delegates on Monday. House Bill 488 passed in its third reading 99 to 37. Republican lawmakers say this legislation disenfranchises millions of Marylanders and rips away their right to fair representation in Congress. However, Democrat Governor, Wes Moore stated the opposite – that this will “strengthen our democracy and ensure Maryland’s representation reflects the will of the people.”

Governor Wes Moore released the following statement after the Maryland House of Delegates overwhelmingly voted to pass new congressional maps:

“Tonight, the House took an important step to strengthen our democracy and ensure Maryland’s representation reflects the will of the people.

“We are living through an urgent moment. What we’re seeing unfold in Minneapolis is a reminder that when a federal administration pushes the bounds of its power, the country needs a real check—and Congress must be able to serve that role.

“At the same time, Republican leaders are already moving aggressively to further redraw maps ahead of 2026. And with the U.S. Supreme Court poised to issue rulings that could weaken key voting rights protections, we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.

“Now it’s time for the Maryland State Senate to do what Marylanders expect and democracy demands: take up this map, debate it, improve it if needed—and vote.”

The Republican Caucus in the House of Delegates said that the House today (Monday) gave final passage to Governor Moore’s highly partisan redistricting bill, House Bill 488. 

“Today the House of Delegates debated bills that do nothing to keep Marylanders safe or to improve their lives,” said House Minority Leader Jason Buckel. “What we have done instead is fight proxy wars for DC Democrats. The House is advancing legislation that disenfranchises millions of Marylanders, ripping away their right to fair representation in Congress.

“It is mindboggling that the first bill passed by the House of Delegates in this legislative session is this hyper-partisan gerrymandering scheme,” said House Minority Whip Jesse Pippy. “It would be nice if we could prioritize and fast-track solutions to the issues Marylanders are facing, like how to afford their energy bills.”