New Supreme Court ruling puts Maryland Democrats’ voting law on shaky ground
Annapolis, MD—Today’s landmark Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais confirms that Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 (SB 255) is little more than a symbolic bill. The Supreme Court has made successful claims of racial vote dilution far more difficult under both federal and state law. Any future lawsuits brought under Maryland’s new statute will now face the same heightened constitutional barriers.
The irony could not be clearer: Maryland’s General Assembly has the highest percentage of Black legislators in the nation at roughly 34%. Yet this overwhelmingly represented body continues to claim systemic discrimination against Black voters in local elections. They have specifically pointed to two counties as justification for this bill—St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties—where, unsurprisingly, two members of the Maryland Freedom Caucus serve.
The Maryland Freedom Caucus strongly opposed Senate Bill 255 as it directly conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Thornburg v. Gingles framework by attempting to impose race-conscious standards for local elections that exceed constitutional limits. Delegate Lauren Arikan warned on the house floor that Democrats were again going to “pass a bill that violates what our top courts have already said,” she continued, “We’re going to ask our attorney general and our taxpayers to fund” these failed laws.
Despite repeated warnings during debate that the bill would invite endless litigation and not accomplish what the Democrats were claiming, Governor Wes Moore signed it into law yesterday, April 28, 2026.
Del. Matt Morgan
District 29A
St. Mary’s County
Chair
Del. Kathy Szeliga
District 7A
Baltimore County
Vice Chair
Del. Ryan Nawrocki
District 7A
Baltimore County
Whip
Del. Lauren Arikan
District 7B
Harford County
Del. Brian Chisholm
District 31
Anne Arundel County
Del. Mark Fisher
District 27C
Calvert County
Del. Robin Grammer
District 6
Baltimore County