Maryland and Mississippi Take Divergent Paths on Redistricting Special Sessions

Maryland Governor Wes Moore convened a special session of the Maryland General Assembly beginning August 3, 2026, via executive order, to consider a constitutional amendment clarifying that state legislative district requirements do not apply to congressional districts. The two-day session was called after legislative leaders announced the plan, and it is seen as a potential first step toward redistricting that could help Democrats gain an additional U.S. House seat by 2028. Roughly 75% of the 188-member legislature could claim hotel reimbursement for attending the session. In Mississippi, lawmakers had been expected to convene a special session to redraw state Supreme Court districts and potentially congressional boundaries, including scrutiny of Rep. Bennie Thompson's district. In May 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated a prior ruling that had found Mississippi's Supreme Court district map violated the Voting Rights Act, dissolving the injunction against using the current map. Following that ruling, Governor Tate Reeves canceled the planned special session, stating the existing map could now be used in future elections and noting that redistricting decisions in Mississippi do not occur in isolation from outside pressure. Mississippi lawmakers instead convened a separate special session in July 2026 focused on reforming the state's youth court system, during which Reeves emphasized the need for clearer laws to protect children; officials noted only 24 of the state's 82 counties have a full-time youth court judge, and housing juveniles in state-run facilities would cost up to $100 per day, less than county facilities charge. The outcome of Maryland's special session, including whether the constitutional amendment advances further in the legislative process, is not detailed in available reporting. It also remains unclear whether Mississippi will revisit congressional redistricting following the Fifth Circuit's ruling, or whether further legal or political action related to Rep. Thompson's district is anticipated. The two states' redistricting efforts are unrelated but both reflect broader activity around congressional map changes ahead of the 2028 elections.