DETAILS & RECOMMENDATIONS
STATEWIDE BALLOT QUESTIONS
THE ANNE ARUNDEL GOP RECOMMENDS VOTING AGAINST ALL 3 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
FIND DETAILS ON EACH QUESTION BELOW:
Question 1
Constitutional Amendment (Ch. 155 of the 2026 Legislative Session)
Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026
Providing that each budget submitted by the Governor shall include proposed expenditures necessary to implement wages, hours, fringe benefits, health benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment in each collective bargaining memorandum of understanding with State employees, whether the State and State employees reached those terms and conditions by mutual agreement or through a neutral decider’s order.
(Amending Article III of the Maryland Constitution)
For the Constitutional Amendment -A vote FOR this amendment means that the Governor has to include money in the proposed State budget to pay for agreements between the State and its employees. Agreements might include changes to wages, hours, fringe benefits, health benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. The Governor must put enough money in the State budget to cover the agreed upon pay and benefits for employees, whether those terms were negotiated or decided by a neutral decision-maker.
A vote AGAINST the amendment means that the law about funding agreements between the State and State employees stays the same.
GOP RECOMMENDATION:
- Vote AGAINST the Constitutional Amendment
Question 2
Constitutional Amendment (Ch. 878 of the 2026 Legislative Session)
Temporary Appointments on the Commission on Judicial Disabilities
Authorizing temporary substitute appointments to the Commission on Judicial Disabilities when a member is recused or disqualified, or when a member’s term expires. In these situations, the Commission Chair may recall a former member of the Commission, or the Governor, at the request of the Commission Chair, may appoint a temporary substitute member or extend the term of a current member until a permanent replacement is appointed. Only individuals who meet the constitutional eligibility requirements may be recalled or appointed to the Commission.
(Amending Article IV of the Maryland Constitution)
A vote FOR this amendment means that temporary appointments to the Commission are allowed if a member is recused, disqualified, or if a member’s term ends without a replacement. The Commission Chair can temporarily fill an opening on the Commission with a former member. The Governor can, at the request of the Commission Chair pick a temporary substitute to fill an opening on the Commission or extend the term of a current member until a replacement is appointed. Only individuals who meet the constitutional eligibility requirements may be recalled or appointed to the Commission.
A vote AGAINST the amendment means that current membership rules for the Commission stay the same. Temporary appointments are not allowed if a member is recused, disqualified, or if a member’s term ends.
GOP RECOMMENDATION:
- Vote AGAINST the Constitutional Amendment
Question 3
Constitutional Amendment (Ch. 881 of the 2026 Legislative Session (PDF))
Electoral Districts – General Assembly and Congressional Representatives
Pursuant to the Supreme Court Order dated September 3, 2026, in Maryland State Board of Elections, et al. v. Lindsay Wheatley, et al. and Maryland State Board of Elections, et al. v. Michael L. Howell, et al., the language of Constitutional Amendment Question 3 now reads:
FOR the purpose of clarifying that certain requirements apply only to districts for the election of members of the Senate of Maryland and the House of Delegates; authorizing the General Assembly to grant original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court of Maryland to review the congressional districting plan of the State; and providing that nothing in the Maryland Constitution provides applicable criteria for the boundaries of a congressional districting plan.
(Amending Article III of the Maryland Constitution)
A vote for will allow Wes Moore and Democrat leadership to immediately move to redraw Maryland’s congressional map into the most gerrymandered in the nation.
*They would continue to mix large portions of conservative Western Maryland into far-left Montgomery County. *They would gerrymander a large portion of the conservative-voting Eastern Shore into Howard and Anne Arundel County. *They would gerrymander conservative Cecil and Harford Counties all the way down into a district with Baltimore City.
The End Result: A map rigged to favor Democrats in all 8 of Maryland’s Congressional districts.
If Question 3 passes, over 1 million Marylanders will have been disenfranchised and their voices in federal government silenced. This is an effort to silence conservative voices, eliminate Republicans from government, and ensure that Maryland’s Republican jurisdictions have no meaningful representation in Congress.
A vote AGAINST maintains the current restrictions on establishing districts: contiguous territory, compact area, equal population, and utilization of natural boundaries
GOP RECOMMENDATION:
- Vote AGAINST the Constitutional Amendment
COUNTY QUESTIONS
ALL THREE OF OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED IN FAVOR OF THESE COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENTS – FIND DETAILS ON EACH AMENDMENT BELOW
QUESTION A
CHARTER AMENDMENT
(Resolution No. 30-25)
Executive Branch – Merit System – Binding Arbitration
To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to permit all authorized employee representatives to enter into binding arbitration to resolve labor disputes relating to the terms and conditions of employment.
Currently, only authorized employee representatives of uniformed firefighters and uniformed officers of the County Police Department, Sheriff’s Department, and Office of Detention Facilities may enter into binding arbitration with the County to resolve labor disputes relating to the terms and conditions of employment. There are several other labor organizations in the County that cannot enter into binding arbitration with the County.
A vote FOR the charter amendment would permit all authorized employee representatives to enter into binding arbitration to resolve labor disputes relating to the terms and conditions of employment.
A vote AGAINST the charter amendment would retain the current binding arbitration provisions in the County Charter, meaning only authorized employee representatives of uniformed firefighters and uniformed officers of the County Police Department, Sheriff’s Department, and Office of Detention Facilities may enter into binding arbitration to resolve labor disputes relating to the terms and conditions of employment.
- Vote FOR Charter Amendment
QUESTION B
CHARTER AMENDMENT
(Resolution No. 15-26)
Legislative Branch – Officers – Specific Position Titles
To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to remove specific position titles from the officers appointed by the Council.
Currently, the Charter provides that the County Council shall have an Administrative Officer appointed by the Council and other officers as provided in the County Council’s Rules of Procedure.
A vote FOR the charter amendment would remove from the County Charter the specific position titles of the officers the County Council may appoint.
A vote AGAINST the charter amendment would retain the current Charter provision that the County Council shall appoint an officer with the specific position title of Administrative Officer.
- Vote FOR Charter Amendment
QUESTION C
CHARTER AMENDMENT
(Resolution No. 18-26)
Executive Branch – Planning Advisory Board – Staggered Terms – Council Confirmation
To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to establish staggered terms for the appointees to the Planning Advisory Board and to require County Council confirmation of County Executive appointments to the Planning Advisory Board.
Currently, the members of the Planning Advisory Board are appointed by the County Executive and serve terms coterminous with the County Executive or until their successors are appointed.
A vote FOR the charter amendment would require, starting December 2026, staggered initial terms for appointees to the seven-member County Planning Advisory Board and County Council confirmation of the County Executive’s appointees, meaning the County Executive, with the confirmation of the County Council, would appoint one member for a one-year term, two members for two-year terms, two members for three-year terms, and two members for four-year terms, with four-year terms for all members thereafter.
A vote AGAINST the charter amendment would retain the current terms of members of the Planning Advisory Board, meaning a term coterminous with the County Executive’s term or until their successor shall qualify, and retain the authority of the County Executive to appoint members of the Planning Advisory Board without confirmation of the County Council.
- Vote FOR Charter Amendment
ALL THREE OF OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IN FAVOR OF THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS