CASE SUMMARY

On February 10, 2022, a group of Maryland voters filed a petition with the Maryland Court of Appeals challenging the General Assembly's enacted legislative redistricting plan as violating various provisions of the Maryland Constitution and Maryland Declaration of Rights. First, plaintiffs assert that several districts violate the contiguity, compactness, and due regard for natural and political subdivision boundaries of Article III, Section 4 of the Maryland Constitution. Next, plaintiffs allege that the plan is a partisan gerrymander designed to disproportionately favor Democrats and disfavor Republicans in violation of Maryland voters' rights to free elections, freedom of speech, and equal protection under Articles 7, 24, and 40 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights. Finally, they allege that by enacting a plan designed to disproportionately favor one party and its candidates and disfavor the other, the General Assembly violated its duty to pass laws "necessary for the preservation of the purity of [e]lections" under Article I, Section 7 of the Maryland Constitution. Plaintiffs are seeking a judicial declaration that the enacted legislative plan violates the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights, a court order requiring the General Assembly to enact a new, lawful plan, and in the event the state fails to do so, for the court to order the adoption of the legislative plan prepared and submitted to the General Assembly by the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission.

On February 11, 2022, the Maryland Court of Appeals issued an order consolidating this petition with three others that also challenge the enacted legislative plan. The court-appointed special magistrate submitted their report to the Court on April 4.

On April 13, the Court issued an order upholding the legislative plans as valid and denying the petitions, stating an opinion would follow.

CASE LIBRARY

Maryland Court of Appeals - Misc. No. 21 (consolidated with Misc. Nos. 24, 25, 26 & 27)

Maryland Court of Appeals - Misc. No. 24

Maryland Court of Appeals - Misc. No. 25

Maryland Court of Appeals - Misc. No. 26

Maryland Court of Appeals - Misc. No. 27

In re 2022 Legislative Districting
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