# Question 3: Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress (constitutional amendment)  
**In one sentence:** This amendment clarifies which rules apply to drawing district lines for Maryland’s state legislature vs. U.S. congressional representatives.  

## What a FOR vote does  
- Keeps current state constitutional rules (contiguity, compactness, equal population) for state legislative districts.  
- Lets state lawmakers send congressional map challenges directly to Maryland’s Supreme Court instead of lower courts.  
- States “nothing in the Maryland Constitution provides criteria for congressional district boundaries.”  

## What an AGAINST vote does  
- Leaves the 2022 court ruling in place, which said state constitutional rules *do* apply to congressional districts.  
- Allows challenges to congressional maps to start in circuit courts, not the Supreme Court.  
- Maintains that the Maryland Constitution establishes criteria for congressional district boundaries.  

## Strongest case FOR  
1. **Supporters say** the amendment “answers one question: What rules govern how Maryland draws its congressional districts?” (Gov. Wes Moore) [1].  
2. **Opponents of gerrymandering** argue removing protections could let politicians draw unfair maps (Maryland Matters) [4].  
3. **Legal clarity** – The 2022 court ruled state rules apply to congressional districts, but the amendment would block that interpretation [2].  

## Strongest case AGAINST  
1. **Critics argue** the amendment “would remove state constitutional protections a court has used to block partisan gerrymandering” (Maryland Matters) [4].  
2. **No replacement criteria** – The amendment doesn’t set new standards for congressional maps, leaving them unregulated [3].  
3. **Judicial efficiency** – Sending map challenges directly to the Supreme Court could speed up legal battles (Maryland Elections) [1].  

## If you care most about...  
**Fair representation** -> FOR fits, because supporters say it aligns with federal standards. AGAINST fits, because opponents warn it could enable gerrymandering.  
**Legal clarity** -> FOR fits, because it removes confusion about which rules apply. AGAINST fits, because opponents say it undermines court oversight.  
**Judicial review** -> FOR fits, because it lets challenges go directly to the state Supreme Court. AGAINST fits, because it keeps challenges in lower courts.  

## Who supports and who opposes  
- **Supporters**: Gov. Wes Moore, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, Fight Back MD [1].  
- **Opponents**: Maryland Freedom Caucus, Republican lawmakers, Sen. Johnny Ray Salling [4].  

## What we could not verify  
- Specific details about how the amendment would affect future map-drawing processes.  

## Confidence  
**Medium** – Information is clear from official sources, but the amendment’s long-term impact remains uncertain.  

## Sources  
[1] Ballot questions for the November 3, 2026 election – *elections.maryland.gov*  
[2] What Maryland Question 3 means for congressional redistricting – *mymcmedia.org*  
[3] Maryland Question 3, Provide That Nothing in State Constitution... – *ballotpedia.org*  
[4] Question 3: Electoral Districts – *marylandmatters.org*  
[5] Maryland Question 3 (2026), explained in plain words – *marylandquestion3.com*  

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