The Maryland Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered that the state move its primary election from June 28 to July 19 because of challenges to a new legislative district map.
The candidate filing deadline, which already was extended from Feb. 22 to March 22, has been moved back again. The new date is April 15.
Other deadlines related to candidacies also have changed.
The Court of Appeals has received petitions challenging the validity of a state legislative redistricting plan that the Maryland General Assembly adopted on Feb. 1.
Special Magistrate Alan M. Wilner is scheduled to hold a hearing on those petitions starting March 23.
Wilner is expected to produce a report and file it to the Court of Appeals on April 5, according to the court’s order extending the election. The report could be subject to a hearing, too.
States redraw their legislative and congressional boundaries every 10 years after a new U.S. census.
Maryland’s redrawn eight-district congressional map also is being challenged, through two lawsuits in Anne Arundel County.
Separately, Montgomery County has a new County Council district map, after voters approved expanding the council from five to seven districts. That map, which the council approved in December, is not the subject of litigation.
