Moore: ‘We are planning on coming back’ for redistricting special session

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Wednesday that lawmakers will be summoned to Annapolis soon to clear the way for the state to redraw its congressional district boundaries to further favor Democrats.

“We are planning on coming back to have a special session,” Moore told reporters outside the State House.

Moore has been the chief proponent of congressional redistricting, hoping to nudge Maryland’s delegation from seven Democrats and one Republican to an all-blue roster. For months, his effort had been stymied by Senate President Bill Ferguson and the Senate Democratic Caucus, who held concerns that a gerrymandering effort could backfire legally and politically.

But Ferguson has opened the door in recent weeks, and teams representing the governor, Senate president and House of Delegates speaker have been meeting to discuss details.

The Senate Democratic Caucus plans to meet at 11 a.m. Thursday to discuss the matter. House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk already sent a letter to her members cautioning them to hold certain dates in July for a special session.

A special legislative session can only be called by the governor, either of his own accord or when presented with a petition signed by a majority of both chambers. Typically, however, the governor and legislative leaders reach agreements on holding special sessions.

Maryland has been under pressure as part of a nationwide back-and-forth between Democratic-led and Republican-led states over gerrymandering. Democrats hope to use maps to their advantage to retake the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and serve as a check on President Donald Trump. Trump has pushed Republican-led states to help maintain the GOP majority.

The General Assembly is likely to rewrite part of the state constitution in order to give lawmakers a freer hand in drawing state boundaries — a change that would have to be approved by voters in November.

Ferguson has said that he’s open to amending the state constitution to remove language that a judge cited when blocking a set of proposed maps in 2022. The constitution requires districts be compact and take into consideration natural boundaries and the boundaries of cities and counties.

Peña-Melnyk and House Democrats have long been aligned with Moore on redistricting. The House voted earlier this year to approve a map that would have favored Democrats in all eight U.S. House districts. The bill stalled and failed in the Senate; after that, the House offered a constitutional change that failed in the Senate as well.

Following Ferguson’s shift, Peña-Melnyk sent a letter to delegates asking them to reserve July 16-22 and July 30-Aug. 5 as potential dates for a special session.

“If a special session is called, I do not anticipate that it would extend beyond a couple of days,” Peña-Melnyk wrote delegates.

Moore expressed confidence that the General Assembly would address redistricting.

“The House has already voted on this, and we know that there are the votes in the Senate to be able to get this done,” Moore said.

What’s not clear is whether Moore wants lawmakers to also take up a new map of boundaries. While it’s likely too late to set new boundaries for this year’s election that’s already in progress, lawmakers could draw a new map for the 2028 election.

Maryland’s lone Republican in Congress, Andy Harris, represents the Eastern Shore-based 1st District. Moore had pushed a map that would have swung that district across the Chesapeake Bay to pick up Democratic voters in Central Maryland.

Asked about whether a new map would be under consideration, Moore said: “I’m not dogmatic on this, and I know this is something that both the House and the Senate have to work through.”

He added: “They have to put together a bill that will make it up to me, and I am willing to work with them on this. But what I do know is this: Inaction is not an option.”

Neither Ferguson’s nor Peña-Melnyk’s offices offered an immediate response to the governor’s remarks.

Ferguson and Moore have been at odds for months, capped by Moore pulling back from an endorsement agreement with Ferguson ahead of the primary election. While Moore didn’t endorse Ferguson, he also didn’t give his official backing to challenger Bobby LaPin, a sailboat charter captain and social media personality.

Ferguson beat LaPin in the Democratic primary and is headed for easy reelection this fall.

“I congratulate him on his victory,” Moore said of Ferguson’s win. “I’ve worked with the Senate president before. I look forward to working with him going forward.”