Maryland Voters Less Enthusiastic About Redistricting Amid Other Concerns
As President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape congressional maps through gerrymandering face setbacks in Indiana, a recent survey reveals that Maryland residents are not particularly eager for similar changes in their own state. According to findings released Monday, less than one-third of respondents consider redrawing the congressional lines a “high” priority, with only 27 percent emphasizing its importance.
This survey, conducted by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, highlights that Marylanders are far more concerned about pressing issues such as healthcare costs (77 percent), the quality of K-12 education (75 percent), and crime reduction (73 percent). Clearly, the political maneuvering of redistricting ranks low on the list of priorities for a populace preoccupied with everyday challenges.
As Maryland lawmakers prepare for a special legislative session on Tuesday, the topic of redistricting appears off the table. This comes as they navigate how best to approach the state’s lone Republican-held congressional seat, with a potential Democratic flip on the horizon. However, they have made it clear that redistricting will not be part of the agenda.
In contrast, Trump’s recent gerrymandering bid in Indiana, which aimed to eliminate two Democratic-held seats, was decisively rejected by the state’s Republican-led Senate. This rejection serves as a notable rebuke to the president from within his own party, simultaneously easing the pressure on Maryland lawmakers to consider their own redistricting initiatives.
For months, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who’s eyeing a potential 2028 presidential run, has been advocating for a reevaluation of the state’s congressional maps. Yet, he has faced resistance from Senate President Bill Ferguson, also a Democrat, who warns that such changes could undermine the Democratic Party’s stronghold in Maryland, where they currently dominate seven of the eight congressional seats.
“This is not a huge priority for Maryland voters,” stated Mileah Kromer, director of the Institute of Politics at the university. She suggested that the lack of urgency surrounding redistricting might stem from lingering concerns about the state’s economic situation rather than political boundaries.
Earlier this year, state lawmakers enacted measures that raised taxes and fees by $1.6 billion, leaving residents to navigate the fallout from the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. These economic realities overshadow discussions of gerrymandering.
The survey, which included 801 Maryland adults, most of whom were registered voters, found that 28 percent believe the congressional lines have been drawn fairly, while 41 percent disagree, deeming them unfair. The remaining 29 percent were undecided.
Breaking down responses by party affiliation reveals differing perceptions on the fairness of the current maps and the potential for mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterms. Among Democrats, 37 percent feel the maps are drawn fairly, while among those who believe they are not, 18 percent think they favor Democrats and 10 percent favor Republicans. In contrast, only 17 percent of Republicans view the lines as fair, with a striking 63 percent asserting that they favor Democrats.
Despite a substantial number of both parties paying attention to the redistricting debate—61 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans—opinions diverge on the necessity of action. Among Democrats, nearly equal percentages oppose mid-cycle redistricting (25 percent) and those who see it as necessary despite their reservations (28 percent). Only 6 percent believe it’s wrong but support it anyway, contrasted with 32 percent who endorse it as a viable option. On the Republican side, 67 percent oppose mid-decade redistricting, with only 9 percent considering it necessary.
This poll was funded by the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the university and was conducted between December 2 and 6, yielding a margin of error of 3.5 percent.
