Montgomery County Republican Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 6, 2026 Maryland Freedom Caucus Leads Lawsuit Challenging Illegal Rush to Place Gerrymandering Amendment on Ballot ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Maryland Freedom Caucus, alongside Senate Republican Leadership and Mike Howell, President of the Oversight Project, today filed a lawsuit in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court to stop the Democrat-led General Assembly’s unlawful attempt to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would codify extreme partisan gerrymandering. The Maryland Freedom Caucus is leading the charge, with all seven members of the caucus, Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, and Mike Howell, President of the Oversight Project, asserting their rights as Maryland voters to fight this brazen Democrat Party power grab. The lawsuit, Howell v. Maryland State Board of Elections, alleges that in their haste to rush a constitutional amendment onto the general election ballot, the General Assembly violated numerous existing statutes governing the legislative process and ballot placement. The Maryland Freedom Caucus is standing up for the due process rights of every Marylander. “Annapolis Democrats spent taxpayer dollars on a special session for one reason: to rewrite the Maryland Constitution and eliminate the last remaining Republican congressional seat,” said Delegate Matt Morgan, Chair of the Maryland Freedom Caucus. “Like a banana republic, they suspended the rules, ignored statutory deadlines, and treated the Constitution as an obstacle to be removed. Our Declaration of Rights exists to protect the people from politicians who undermine free and fair elections. We are taking them to court to uphold these principles.” Vice Chair Delegate Kathy Szeliga added: “Four years ago, I was the lead plaintiff when Judge Lynne Battaglia struck down the Democrats’ extreme partisan gerrymander. Today, the Maryland Freedom Caucus is once again leading the fight to stop them from changing the rules midstream. The process matters. We will not let them rewrite the Constitution on a rushed, defective timeline and without due process.” The Maryland Freedom Caucus has led the opposition to this power grab from the moment it was announced. This lawsuit continues that fight in the courtroom.