Politics
Maryland redistricting measure draws Obama’s support as Nov. 3 vote nears
Former President Barack Obama is urging Maryland voters to approve Question 3, a constitutional amendment on how congressional map disputes are handled. The measure has divided candidates and voters as campaigns spend heavily ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
BALTIMORE — Former President Barack Obama is backing a Maryland ballot measure that would change how the state handles congressional redistricting disputes, joining Gov. Wes Moore’s campaign in urging voters to approve Question 3 on Nov. 3.
In a television ad scheduled to air in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., media markets, Obama frames a yes vote as a response to redistricting efforts in Republican-led states. “You can help stop this Republican power grab by voting Yes on Question 3,” he says.
Moore’s campaign said it is spending $500,000 on the initial ad buy as part of a broader, multimillion-dollar effort promoting the governor’s priorities.
Question 3 would amend the Maryland Constitution to specify that rules for drawing state legislative districts do not govern congressional districts. It would not establish new standards for drawing congressional maps. The amendment would also let the General Assembly send legal challenges to congressional maps directly to the Maryland Supreme Court. If voters approve it, the change would not affect congressional elections before 2028.
The measure emerged from a yearlong debate over whether Maryland should redraw its congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms, after several Republican-led states pursued new maps. Supporters describe Question 3 as a response to those efforts. Opponents say it could give state lawmakers greater leeway to draw districts for partisan advantage.
The disagreement crosses party lines. Dan Schwartz, a Democrat challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Harris in Maryland’s 1st Congressional District, has opposed Question 3. Schwartz has said a redrawn district could dilute the Eastern Shore’s influence by joining it with communities elsewhere in the state. Harris also opposed mid-cycle redistricting, saying it is a bad idea regardless of which party stands to benefit.
The ballot language faced a court challenge. After lower courts found the original wording misleading, the Supreme Court of Maryland revised it in September, allowing the question to remain on the ballot.
A separate campaign dispute has centered on an anti-Question 3 ad paid for by Truth for Maryland. The ad urged voters to support Moore while voting against the amendment. Moore’s lawyers sent the group a cease-and-desist letter seeking to stop its use of the governor’s name, image and campaign branding. Moore supports Question 3; the group’s ad argued the measure would give politicians unchecked power.
A UMBC poll released in October found that 53% of likely voters surveyed planned to vote against Question 3, compared with 25% who planned to vote for it; 19% were undecided. Among Democrats in the survey, 42% opposed the measure and 35% supported it.