Maryland 2026 elections

Political landscape in Maryland

Overview

Maryland is a Mid-Atlantic state bordered by Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, the Atlantic Ocean and Washington, D.C. With about 12,400 square miles, it is ninth-smallest by land area, yet it ranks 19th in population and fifth in density. Annapolis is the capital and Baltimore is the largest city. George and Cecil Calvert, the first and second Barons Baltimore, secured the colonial charter in 1632, and the colony was first settled in 1634, chiefly as a haven for Catholics facing persecution in England; tobacco plantations dominated the early economy. Maryland became the seventh state on April 28, 1788. A slave state, it stayed with the Union during the Civil War and later industrialized through its ports and railroads. Its economy spans biotechnology, health care, defense contracting, information technology, higher education, public administration and manufacturing, helped by proximity to the national capital. The Chesapeake Bay shapes the east of the state, with the Piedmont in the center and the Appalachians in the west.

Officeholders

As of October 2026, Governor Wes Moore is a Democrat, as are US Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks.

2026 elections

Maryland holds its governor's race on November 3, 2026, together with elections in all eight US House districts and three ballot questions, one of which concerns redistricting requirements.