Maryland Ballot 2026: Question 3 on Redistricting
Maryland voters will face an unusually complicated constitutional question this November concerning congressional redistricting. Question 3 does not itself redraw Maryland’s congressional districts. Instead, it would change the Maryland Constitution to clarify which state constitutional rules apply when congressional districts are drawn—and, just as importantly, which rules do not.
The history behind the amendment helps explain why it is controversial.
Maryland’s Constitution requires legislative districts to be contiguous, compact, and drawn with “due regard” for natural boundaries and the boundaries of political subdivisions. For many years, those provisions were generally treated as rules governing districts for the Maryland General Assembly. That understanding changed during litigation over the congressional map enacted after the 2020 census.
In 2022, retired Judge Lynne Battaglia ruled that those state constitutional requirements also applied to Maryland’s congressional districts. She struck down the General Assembly’s 2021 congressional map, finding, among other things, that it failed state constitutional standards concerning compactness and political boundaries. The General Assembly subsequently adopted a replacement congressional map.
Question 3 is, in significant part, a response to that 2022 decision. During a special session in August 2026, the General Assembly passed HB 2100, sponsored by House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk. The measure passed the Senate 32–13 and was approved by the governor on August 5. Because it changes the Constitution, however, voters must approve it before it can take effect.
If adopted, Question 3 would make three principal changes.
- First, it would specify that Maryland’s constitutional requirements concerning compactness, contiguity, and political and natural boundaries apply to districts for the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates—not congressional districts.
- Second, it would state explicitly that nothing elsewhere in the Maryland Constitution, including the Declaration of Rights, supplies criteria for drawing congressional district boundaries.
- Third, it would allow the General Assembly to give the Supreme Court of Maryland original jurisdiction to hear challenges to congressional redistricting plans.
The argument for Question 3
Supporters describe the amendment principally as a clarification of constitutional law. Their argument is that Article III of the Maryland Constitution was designed to regulate districts for the General Assembly and that the 2022 court decision extended those provisions to congressional districts in a way that had not previously been understood. Under that view, Question 3 restores the historical distinction between state legislative redistricting and congressional redistricting and establishes clearer rules before the next round of mapmaking.
Continue reading →Election Reform Should Make It Easier to Run for Office, Too
Rockville is revising Chapter 8 of the City Code, which governs municipal elections. Much of the discussion understandably focuses on election integrity: campaign contributions, disclosure, independent expenditures, enforcement, and the rules governing political committees.
But there is another test the Mayor and Council should apply to the proposed ordinance:
Could a first-time candidate running a $2,000 volunteer campaign comply confidently with these rules without hiring an attorney or experienced campaign treasurer?
That is not a hypothetical concern. Rockville’s own 2025 Election Review concluded that the existing code needed substantial revision in part so candidates could understand the rules “without having to hire an attorney to decipher the language.” It also recommended clearer explanations, an election handbook, and simpler navigation for candidates and voters.
Continue reading →Historic Preservation, Election Rules, and State Priorities on Rockville Council’s September 14 Agenda
Rockville’s Mayor and Council meets Monday, September 14, 2026 beginning at 5:30 p.m. The first hour will be devoted largely to community recognitions and proclamations. The heavier policy work begins around 7 p.m., with the first significant Council actions scheduled for roughly 7:20 to 7:25 p.m. Several items deserve particular attention because they could shape Rockville well beyond Monday night.
Will Rockville Preserve 24 Martins Lane?
The most immediate decision concerns 24 Martins Lane, a property associated with the historically Black Haiti/Martins Lane community. The Mayor and Council will first hold a public hearing and then are scheduled to vote on whether to place the property in Rockville’s Historic District Overlay Zone. The Historic District Commission voted 4-1 to recommend designation, finding that the property met five of the city’s historic-designation criteria. The Planning Commission later found the designation consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
The history here matters. The Haiti/Martins Lane community is one of Rockville’s oldest Black neighborhoods, with roots extending to about 1830, when free Black landowner Samuel Martin settled in the area. The neighborhood’s name reflects a broader African American identification with Haiti, whose successful revolution against slavery and declaration of independence in 1804 made it a powerful symbol of Black freedom and self-determination in the nineteenth century. The city’s analysis also identifies the property as representative of Rockville’s Black heritage and of early vernacular residential construction.
The timing also matters because demolition is contemplated. Historic designation would not freeze the property in time, but it would require Historic District Commission review of future exterior alterations and changes to the site. This is the kind of decision that forces Rockville to weigh several legitimate interests at once: preserving African American history, respecting private property, accommodating future development, and deciding what parts of the city’s physical history should remain visible.
Rockville’s Election Rules Are Heading Toward a Rewrite
Later in the evening, the Mayor and Council will hold a worksession on a substantial rewrite of Chapter 8 of the City Code, which governs municipal elections. This discussion is part of a much longer reconsideration of how Rockville conducts its elections. In 2022, the city’s Charter Review Commission recommended a range of changes, including term limits, representative districts, lowering the voting age, allowing noncitizen residents to vote in municipal elections, and exploring ranked-choice voting. The Mayor and Council initially considered placing ranked-choice voting before voters along with several of those questions in 2023, but it did not appear on the final ballot. Instead, voters considered four nonbinding questions on voting age, noncitizen voting, term limits, and representative districts.
Continue reading →Federal Cuts Are Reshaping Rockville’s Future
The Rockville Mayor and Council met on February 9, 2026, when Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) presented a major economic briefing about how federal policy changes are affecting the city. The full reports — including the Economic Impact presentation and supporting materials — are available in the Council agenda packet posted on the city website. Together they paint a clear picture: Rockville’s economy is stable today, but entering a period of structural transition.
City officials reviewed a detailed economic report showing Rockville is highly exposed to federal employment and contracting. Roughly one-fifth of local workers depend on federal jobs or funding. Layoffs and reduced contracting increased unemployment and softened consumer spending. Office vacancies remain high as contractors shrink their footprints, while housing listings have risen across the region. The economy is not collapsing — but it is shifting away from federal-driven growth toward a more uncertain private-sector future. Note: This post is based on the reports provided by REDI in the Council agenda packet; in a future post I hope to share the City Council’s reaction.
Economic Impact of Federal Changes
City officials reviewed new economic data showing Rockville’s unusually high dependence on federal employment and contracting. Layoffs and procurement slowdowns have nudged unemployment upward and softened local spending. Office vacancy remains elevated at 25% as federal contractors reduce space, and housing listings across the region have increased by 64% from 2024 to 2025. The report emphasized that Rockville is not entering a recession — instead, it is adjusting to a structural shift in how the federal government operates and how the regional workforce is organized.
Continue reading →Rockville Council to Consider Updates to Tree Preservation Rules
The Rockville Mayor and Council will meet on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Key items include routine board and commission appointments, a community forum for public comment, and approval of several consent items, including a $309,000 vehicle purchase, the City’s FY 2025 financial reports, and an election-related agreement for a Drop Box at City Hall. The primary policy action is an ordinance updating the City’s Forest and Tree Preservation regulations to align with state law and improve administration. Looking ahead to the February 2 meeting, the Council will consider changes to the Green Building Code.
In 2026, I’m taking a fresh approach to covering Rockville’s mayor and council meetings. Rather than listing every agenda item all year long, I’ll focus on a few key issues that are affecting the community and provide short, clear summaries that highlight what really matters. If you want every detail, the City already does a great job sharing agendas by email, so I’ll leave that role to them.
This shift will let me spend more time taking a closer look at specific issues as they arise and explaining why they matter to residents and businesses. For example, I plan to pay closer attention to board and commission appointments, where the same members are often reappointed for decades—raising important questions about community participation and diverse perspectives. I’ll also listen carefully to council discussions to note who is actively shaping decisions and who is less engaged, information that can be useful to voters. Finally, I’ll broaden the lens beyond City Hall to explore other developments across Rockville and Montgomery County that affect daily life in our community.
Rockville’s New Website Improves Access to Services—But Not to Mayor and Council
Rockville recently launched a redesigned city website with a fresh look and a more user-friendly layout. The home page now highlights key services—trash pickup, water billing, affordable housing, and city jobs—making it much easier for residents to find the information they use most often.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Mayor and Council page, which is far less intuitive and raises concerns about public access and transparency.
Continue reading →Council to Review Twinbrook School Plans, Legislative Priorities, and Arts Month
The Rockville Mayor and Council will meet on Monday, October 6, 2025, to discuss a wide range of topics—from arts and culture to historic preservation, state legislative priorities, and school planning. Several of these items directly affect Rockville neighborhoods, local businesses, and the city’s future development.
Proclamation: Arts and Humanities Month
(Agenda pages 32–37)
Rockville will declare October as Arts and Humanities Month, joining communities nationwide in recognizing the arts as vital to civic life and public well-being. The proclamation highlights the city’s ongoing commitment to culture through venues like the Glenview Mansion Art Gallery, the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, and numerous workshops and performances throughout the month.
- This proclamation reinforces Rockville’s reputation as a cultural hub and affirms support for artists, nonprofits, and creative programming but symbolic proclamations rely on sustained investment to maintain visibility beyond the month’s events.
- Rockville can use this proclamation to advocate for local and state arts funding, strengthening its case for grants from the NEA or Maryland State Arts Council. Unfortunately, recent White House actions have curtailed or politicized programs at the National Endowment for the Arts, IMLS, and public media. Rockville’s consistent, nonpartisan approach to arts advocacy helps buffer local institutions against such national instability.
Historic District Commission FY25 Annual Report
(Agenda pages 65–82)
Continue reading →Rockville’s Rules of Decorum on Hold
Rockville’s Rules of Decorum are now hold to allow more time for study and review. At its Leadership Planning Meeting on Monday, September 29, 2025 at 8:30 am, the Mayor and Council reviewed the agenda for that evening and removed Item 11 Rules of Decorum and Protocol.
The meeting began with the City Manager reviewing the agenda and when he came to Item 11 Rules of Decorum, Councilmember Valeri asked that it be removed because it was not ready for “prime time.” She felt there was confusion about the legislative process, explained how policy is developed in the City of Rockville, and “hoped that this brief moment of educational background is helpful to our resident community—maybe at some point I will create an infographic or short animation to illustrate it ala Schoolhouse Rock.” Councilmember Van Grack concurred with removing the Rules of Decorum, noting it was only presented to Council on Friday and the Council and the public need more time for review and comment. Councilmember Shaw also concurred and noted that at the last meeting, a councilmember asked that “we move forward with this agenda item in haste and to have a draft by the next meeting.” She had concerns that rules of decorum could also act to silence opposition, as was done during the Civil Rights Movement. Councilmember Jackson concurred but recognized that while the item was added to the agenda late and there is insufficient time for review, it is not being rushed because Council has been discussing it for a long time. He wants to be sure that everyone who wishes to speak in the Council chamber feels comfortable, safe, and not intimidated by others. Mayor Ashton noted that Council has two goals: ensuring free speech and ensuring everyone feels safe to testify. She felt that the text is longer and more extensive than she anticipated and wanted to compare with other jurisdictions and solicit responses from the Human Rights Commission. The discussion concluded with Councilmember Valeri responding to Councilmember Shaw’s mention of the history of civil rights and that her great-grandfather, a journalist, was sentenced to a concentration camp in Greece because of his reporting and thus understands the value of free speech. The City Manager will reschedule a discussion on Rules of Decorum and Protocol for a future meeting in the next six months.
Even though it was removed from the agenda, several people voiced their concerns at Community Forum during the Mayor and Council meeting.
Know Your Rights at Rockville Council Meetings
At its September 29, 2026 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council are considering adopting new Rules of Decorum and Protocols to guide behavior at public meetings. These rules are designed to keep meetings orderly, respectful, and productive — but it’s equally important for residents to know what they can and cannot do when they participate.
What You’re Allowed to Do
- Attend any open meeting. Everyone is welcome, as long as space allows.
- Speak during Community Forum and public hearings. You’ll be given time to share your views.
- Criticize city policies, programs, and decisions. The resolution explicitly protects your right to disagree with the Mayor, Council, or staff.
- Raise issues that matter to you. Even if it’s not on the agenda, you can bring concerns to Community Forum.
What You’re Not Allowed to Do
- Disrupt the meeting. Shouting, chanting, or refusing to yield the floor are prohibited.
- Launch personal attacks. Criticism of policies is allowed, but abusive or threatening remarks directed at individuals are not.
- Exceed time limits. Each speaker gets a set amount of time, and going over can result in being cut off.
- Interrupt others. Just as Councilmembers are expected to wait their turn, so are members of the public.
How Rules Are Enforced
- The Mayor (or presiding officer) is responsible for keeping order.
- If rules are violated, you may be warned, asked to stop, or removed from the chamber if disruption continues.
Why It Matters
These rules aim to strike a balance between protecting free speech and ensuring that meetings remain safe and productive. Criticism of city government is protected, but everyone — Councilmembers, staff, and residents — is expected to participate respectfully.
Bottom line: You have the right to speak up at Council meetings, even to criticize policies and decisions. What’s not allowed is disrupting the meeting or targeting individuals with personal attacks.
Rockville Council to Weigh Rules of Decorum, Zoning Rewrite, and King Farm Future
The Rockville Mayor and Council will meet on Monday, September 29, 2025. Several significant issues are up for discussion, ranging from meeting rules to long-term planning for land use, transportation, and historic preservation. Below is a preview of the topics most relevant to residents and businesses.
Rules of Decorum for Council Meetings
The Council will consider adopting formal Rules of Decorum and Protocols for public meetings. These rules cover conduct for councilmembers, staff, and members of the public, aiming to ensure meetings run efficiently and respectfully. This proposal formalizes expectations for behavior in Council chambers, reinforcing civility and safety. Some of the proposed rules may be toughest for the councilmembers themselves to follow, especially the bans on interrupting or talking over colleagues and on making lengthy or repetitive comments that delay business.
Opportunities and Threats
Continue reading →
