Maryland voters are casting ballots Tuesday to fill the state's eight U.S. House seats, with polls closing at 8 p.m. Eastern. The current delegation consists of seven Democrats and one Republican, but the political environment could shift the balance.
Democrats, led by Gov. Wes Moore, tried to redraw the congressional map to net an additional seat, but the effort died in the state Senate. A referendum on Tuesday's ballot would set the stage for Democrats to redraw the map for the next cycle, potentially altering the state's political landscape.
The most closely watched race is in the 1st District, where eight-term Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, is seeking reelection. Harris won about 59 percent of the vote in 2024, but a strong Democratic wave could put his Eastern Shore-based seat in play. Consumer advocate Dan Schwartz is the Democratic nominee.
In southern Maryland, longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer is retiring after 23 terms. Hoyer, who served two stints as House majority leader totaling eight years, endorsed State Del. Adrian Boafo in the Democratic primary. Boafo is heavily favored in the solidly blue district. The Republican nominee is Chris Chaffee, who was the GOP's Senate nominee in 2022.
With Democrats hoping for a strong night nationwide, Maryland's results could provide early signals about the broader midterm mood. The generic ballot has narrowed in final pre-election polling, and both parties are watching turnout closely. For more on how the national picture is shaping up, see our coverage of the Democrats' narrowing generic ballot edge.
Beyond Maryland, several other states are holding key House contests. Our Colorado House races live results and California House races live results pages provide up-to-the-minute updates from those battlegrounds.
Voters in Maryland and elsewhere can skip any race on their ballot, a practice known as undervoting. For a refresher on how that works, see our explainer on undervoting on Election Day.
As results come in, The World Signal will provide live updates and analysis on Maryland's House elections and their implications for the national political landscape.
