Title: 2022 Legislative Districting of the State

State: maryland

Issuer: Maryland Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS 
 
OF MARYLAND 
 
      Misc. Nos. 21, 24, 25, 26 and 27 
 
 
September Term, 2021 
 
 
 
          
IN THE MATTER OF  
2022 LEGISLATIVE  
DISTRICTING OF THE STATE  
           
 
 
 
Getty, C.J.  
Watts 
Hotten 
Booth 
Biran 
Gould 
McDonald, Robert N.  
  (Senior Judge, Specially Assigned), 
 
 JJ. 
 
 
 
 
     ORDER 
  
 
 
 
Filed: April 13, 2022 
 
 
 
 
Pursuant to Maryland Uniform Electronic Legal 
Materials Act 
(§§ 10-1601 et seq. of the State Government Article) this document is authentic. 
 
 
 
 
 
Suzanne C. Johnson, Clerk 
2022-04-13 
17:19-04:00
IN THE MATTER OF 
 
 
     
 
* 
IN THE 
 
2022 LEGISLATIVE 
 
 
     
 
* 
COURT OF APPEALS 
 
DISTRICTING OF THE STATE  
     
 
* 
OF MARYLAND 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
* 
MISC. NOS. 
 
* 
21, 24, 25, 26, 27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
* 
SEPTEMBER TERM, 2021 
 
O R D E R 
 
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Article III, § 5 of the Constitution of 
Maryland, on January 27, 2022, the General Assembly of Maryland enacted Senate Joint 
Resolution 2, which constitutes the Legislative Redistricting Plan of 2022, and 
WHEREAS, the Attorney General of Maryland having filed a motion to 
promulgate procedures to govern any petitions brought under Article III, § 5 of the 
Constitution of Maryland, and 
WHEREAS, petitions challenging the validity of the Plan having been filed and an 
evidentiary hearing having been held before a Special Magistrate appointed by this Court, 
and 
WHEREAS, on April 4, 2022, the Special Magistrate filed a report recommending 
that the petitions filed in the cases be denied, and on April 8, 2022, exceptions to the report 
were filed in this Court, and 
WHEREAS, a hearing on the petitions and exceptions to the report of the Special 
Magistrate having been held before this Court on April 13, 2022, and 
WHEREAS, the Court having determined that the Plan enacted into law on January 
27, 2022 is consistent with the requirements of the Constitution of the United States and 
the Constitution of Maryland,  
For reasons to be stated later in an opinion to be filed, it is this 13th day of April, 
2022,  
ORDERED, by the Court of Appeals of Maryland, a majority concurring as to the 
decision in In the Matter of Legislative Districting of the State, Misc. Nos. 25 and 27, 
September Term, 2021, that the exceptions filed by Petitioners in In the Matter of 
Legislative Districting of the State, Misc. Nos. 25, 26 and 27, September Term, 2021, are 
overruled in each case and that the relief sought in the petitions is denied; and it is further 
ORDERED, that the relief sought in the petition filed in In the Matter of Legislative 
Districting of the State, Misc. No. 24, September Term, 2021, with no exceptions having 
been filed, is denied; and it is further 
ORDERED, that the Legislative Redistricting Plan of 2022 enacted as Senate Joint 
Resolution 2 on January 27, 2022 shall be used for all purposes in acting upon or 
implementing the State of Maryland’s legislative redistricting plan; and it is further 
ORDERED, that  
(1) The 2022 Primary for Gubernatorial Elections, shall remain scheduled for 
July 19, 2022. 
 
(2) The following election deadlines for the 2022 Primary for the 
Gubernatorial Elections shall remain as set forth in this Court’s Order of 
March 15, 2022: 
 
(a) The deadline for filing certificates of candidacy, established 
pursuant to Maryland Code, (1957, 2017 Repl. Vol., 2021 Supp.), 
Election Law Article (“EL”) § 5-303 is Friday, April 15, 2022 at 9:00 
p.m.; 
 
(b) The deadline for candidates to withdraw a certificate of candidacy, 
established pursuant to EL § 5-502(a) is Monday, April 18, 2022;  
 
(c) The deadline to fill a vacancy in candidacy for a primary election, 
established pursuant to EL § 5-901 is Wednesday, April 20, 2022; 
 
(d) Pursuant to EL § 9-207, the Maryland State Board of Elections is 
authorized to adjust any deadlines related to certifying, displaying, 
and printing ballots, including the setting of a new deadline to 
challenge a candidate’s residency; and it is further 
 
ORDERED, that, pursuant to Article III, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution, a 
candidate for senator or delegate must reside in the district that the candidate seeks to 
represent for at least six months preceding the date of the statewide general election.  For 
the 2022 statewide general election, a candidate must take up residence in a new district by 
May 8, 2022.  The requirement that a candidate be a citizen of the State of Maryland, as 
set forth in Article III, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution, is unaffected by this Order; and it 
is further 
ORDERED, that, in accordance with § 7 of Article XV of the Constitution of 
Maryland and EL § 8-301(a), a statewide general election will be held on November 8, 
2022; and it is further 
ORDERED, that the mandate is to issue forthwith. 
 
/s/ Joseph M. Getty 
Joseph M. Getty 
Chief Judge 
Court of Appeals of Maryland 
 
 
Filed: April 13, 2022 
 
 
/s/ Suzanne C. Johnson 
Suzanne C. Johnson 
Clerk 
Court of Appeals of Maryland