Maryland ballot measures 2026, explained
3 statewide measures on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Each one in plain words: what it does, what a yes and a no vote mean, and the best case on both sides. No recommendations.
Your Maryland ballot, in order. Tap a measure for the full explainer.
Question 1Constitutional amendment
State Worker Contracts in Budget
State workers and the state make deals about pay, hours, and benefits. This would make the governor put money for those deals in the budget, including deals decided by a neutral referee.
- Yes vote
- The governor must include funding for state employee bargaining agreements and neutral arbitration decisions in the proposed budget, and related arbitration changes take effect.
- No vote
- Current budget and collective bargaining rules remain in place.
Question 2Constitutional amendment
Temporary Judicial Commission Members
A state group reviews complaints about judges. This would let it use a qualified temporary substitute when a member cannot serve, like a substitute teacher keeping class going.
- Yes vote
- The commission chair may recall a former member, or request a temporary gubernatorial appointment or term extension, to fill certain vacancies or absences.
- No vote
- Current commission membership rules remain unchanged and temporary substitutes are not available under this amendment.
Question 3Constitutional amendment
Congressional Districting Rules
Maryland's constitution has rules for drawing state voting districts, such as keeping them connected and respecting boundaries. This would say those state rules do not apply to districts for the U.S. House, giving lawmakers more freedom when drawing congressional maps.
- Yes vote
- The constitutional districting requirements apply only to state legislative districts and not to congressional districts.
- No vote
- The current constitutional language remains in place, allowing those requirements to continue being applied to congressional maps.
How sure is this guide?
Where the four AIs disagreed
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok each researched Maryland's ballot on their own, with web search. The score is how closely their answers matched. Where they split, check the official voter guide before you trust either side.
78/ 100Partial agreement
Question 1 cost
- GPT-5.6 Terra: Cost not estimated.
- Claude Sonnet 5.5: Cost not estimated.
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: Direct costs not estimated.
- Grok 4.5: At least $150,000 yearly from fiscal 2028, plus possible compensation costs.
Question 2 appointment process
- GPT-5.6 Terra: Describes temporary replacements when members are unavailable or terms lapse.
- Claude Sonnet 5.5: Specifies chair recalls, governor substitutes or term extensions; notes no deadline.
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: Describes substitute members for vacancies or recusals.
- Grok 4.5: Specifies recall, governor appointment or term extension at chair's request.
Before you vote
This guide was written by AI models with web search and does not tell you how to vote. Details can be wrong: your sample ballot and Maryland's official voter guide are the final word.
Still have a question?
A local measure, or what this ballot means for your taxes or job? See where four AIs agree.