Maryland Matters

Ugly and frightening as election season can get – or is that Halloween? – there are some reassuring bits. First, that the voters get their say. Second, that Maryland Matters readers can enter our election contest and show off how smart they are. Enter now. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/27/o...

While most top Democrats rallied again Monday for Question 3, the proposed constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting, one was notably absent, LCV's Kristen Harbeson moves on; and voting deadlines loom, in political notes. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/27/m...

Fewer than 5% of U.S. House races are seen by a top political analysis as truly competitive heading into November’s midterm elections, giving relatively few voters the ability to determine which party controls the chamber for the next two years. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/27/f...

Populations of a small darter species found only in the lower Susquehanna River have rebounded enough not to warrant protections under the Endangered Species Act, according to a review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/27/f...

It's a long way from Albuquerque to Easton, but Josh Kurtz finds a connection in Talbot County Council hopeful Brian Naranjo, the grandson of a legendary New Mexico political patrón Emilio Naranjo, whom Kurtz covered as a young reporter. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/27/a...

Maryland is beginning to accept applications for a program to bolster solar, wind and battery storage projects with state grant funding under a $200 million program, called Megawatts for Maryland, established this year by the General Assembly. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/26/m...

With most in-state contests a foregone conclusion this fall, attention turns to the legislative subdistricts in Maryland with fewer voters, making them more volatile. And the Lower Shore District 38B is getting much of the attention -- and money. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/26/i...

Americans’ growing frustration over high prices has defined many political campaigns this fall, as rising costs of healthcare, gas and groceries during President Donald Trump’s second term have put Republicans on defense, in Washington and in states nationwide. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/26/r...

More than 135 candidates are running in Maryland’s school board elections, and those who win will face a significant challenge: overseeing the implementation — and regulation — of artificial intelligence in the state’s 24 school districts. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/26/s...

When most Marylanders go to the polls this fall, they are not likely to be casting their ballots in State House races considered competitive — which experts say has long been the case in the largely Democratic state. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/26/m...

A federal judge said the Office of Personnel Management unlawfully granted the Department of Government Efficiency access to sensitive federal personnel data last year on millions of past, current and aspiring federal employees, Federal News Network reports. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/26/o...

This year’s statewide ballot measures are written, on average, at a graduate-school reading level, a new report says, with readability varying by state. It comes as critics of Question 3, a Maryland proposal on redistricting, say its wording is too complex. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/24/r...

Lawmakers and educators Friday hailed a Harford County Circuit Court judge's ruling reversing the county school board's decision to pull a graphic novel from school system library shelves, after an independent panel of teachers and students had voted to keep it. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/24/j...

Almost every member of Congress from Maryland, as well as the state's elections office, have received ominous letters filled with what turned out to be a nontoxic powder in the last week, making them the latest in a string of such attacks nationwide. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/24/m...

Maryland public schools’ chronic absenteeism rate has dropped for four straight years, but it's still above pre-pandemic levels. School board candidates across the state cited a number of reasons for absenteeism, and a number of possible solutions. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/24/s...

Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance plans rose again this year, as did the deductible people must pay before benefits kick in. A survey by KFF shows employees will pay about $1,672 for individual coverage, while employers contributed $8,132. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/23/r...

Millions in grant funds have been returned to Prince George's County by a group led by the best friend of the county council chair, amid ongoing calls for an investigation into how the grants were funneled to the group in the first place. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/23/m...

When she was first elected, former Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez carried voter registration forms to pass out to Latinos she met. It must have worked. Today, Latinos hold state and local office, work at all levels of government and are competing up and down the ballot. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/22/o...

A record 3,824 women are running for state legislative seats in the 46 states with legislative elections this fall, up from 2022’s previous record of 3,621 women candidates, according to Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/23/r...

With few major contests on the ballot, and few seats in doubt, Question 3 is expected to grab most of the attention over the coming weeks. That was the case Thursday, the first day of early voting, when lawmakers turned out to rally for, and against, the measure. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/23/o...

Candidates for school boards around the state generally agreed with a new law that will require the hiring of more mental health counselors, but those responding to a survey said more resources will be needed, while some called for more parental involvement. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/23/s...

The Trump administration claims to have expelled nearly a million people through July of this year, but those include voluntary returns and people turned around at the border, according to a new analysis by Homeland Security's former chief statistician. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/23/r...

Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas, one of the state's most powerful Democrats, was indicted on federal racketeering, marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracy charges for allegedly using her influence to protect and enrich a cannabis business she co-owns. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/22/r...

An ad opposing a constitutional amendment that would loosen congressional redistricting standards has drawn the attention of -- and a cease and desist demand from -- Gov. Wes Moore, who says it tries to trick voters by mimicking his campaign materials. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/22/s...

School board candidates who answered a survey on the biggest issues this election said they believed in the sweeping education reform goals of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, but most also conceded they worry about its financial and administrative burdens. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/21/s...

A federal judge on Wednesday night blocked election-related field operations by the Department of Homeland Security in nine states, saying such operations "intimidates citizens from urging or aiding others in exercising their right to vote." marylandmatters.org/2026/10/21/r...

The U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday denied an emergency request Trump administration request allow it to terminate gender-affirming care for transgender prison inmates. The court let stand, for now, a lower court order that blocked that policy from taking effect. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/21/r...

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science will award $1.2 million to 11 projects on the East and West coasts to remove derelict fishing traps, including crab pots, that damage habitat, create navigational hazards and harm marine life. Two projects are in Maryland. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/21/m...

A daylong public health forum in Baltimore on Tuesday touched on health challenges that likely aren't found in any medical textbook: gun violence, artificial intelligence, social media and "the ravages of Washington" under the Trump administration. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/21/g...

Maryland will start accepting online reservations Nov. 6 for a new park overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, the sixth site opened by the Maryland Park Service this year, less than 10 miles from downtown Annapolis and a stone's throw from Sandy Point State Park. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/20/h...

State auditors are calling for tighter controls and monitoring of outside law firms hired by state agencies, after finding a lack of procedures in the attorney general's office make it difficult to track millions paid to nearly 100 firms. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/20/a...

School transportation troubles, academic proficiency and financial worries ranked among the main concerns Maryland's school board candidates raised when asked in a survey to name the top issues in this year's elections. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/20/t...

Maryland was one of nine states and the District of Columbia that lost jobs in the year ending in September, according to a report Tuesday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal job cuts appeared to hit Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., hard. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/20/m...

Party control is up for grabs in 15 state legislative chambers as Republicans are increasingly on the defensive this midterm election cycle, according to a new analysis, that says Democrats could chip away at or even break GOP supermajorities in some states. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/20/r...

A report on women in Maryland's workforce found they continue to trail men in labor force participation and that they face several hurdles to greater participation. It also said that recent federal job cuts likely had a disproportionate effect on Black women. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/20/w...

The Office of Personnel Management finalized regulations Monday that will eliminate a longstanding “time-in-grade” restriction, clearing the way for Agencies to promote federal employees without having to wait a year first, Federal News Network reports. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/20/t...

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear a challenge from a group of Montgomery County parents who claim that the county's lottery system for admission to middle school magnet programs decreases Asian American students in the programs. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/19/s...

For the eighth straight year, Maryland scientists found well below average numbers of young rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay. This summer's numbers were the best since 2018, but the “young of the year” index of 5.5 was well below the historical average of 10.8. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/19/r...

Ukrainian and Sudanese immigrants living in the United States with temporary protected status that was scheduled to end Monday, will retain their deportation protections and work authorizations for now, Homeland Security officials said over the weekend. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/19/r...

The number of teacher vacancies fell from 2,145 in the 2022-23 school year to roughly 572 for the current school year, state officials announced Monday, a 70% drop that was attributed to programs to expand recruitment and retention of teachers. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/19/m...

The late 1800s' railroad expansion consumed about $173 billion in today's dollars and created more than 2% of GDP; today's data center boom could consume $10 trillion in investment and account for nearly 4% of GDP, crowding out other job-creating industries. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/19/r...

While both men and women college athletes face online harassment related to sports betting, abuse of women athletes on social media also often targets appearance and gender, affecting their play and reducing their enjoyment of the sport, the women report. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/18/o...

In the last report before Election Day, inflation grew to a 3.7% annual rate in September, up from 3.4% in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, driven by energy costs: Gas is up 34% for the year, and fuel oil, which includes diesel, is up 72%. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/19/r...

Hate bias incidents fell slightly in the state of Maryland in 2025, according to a new state report, with racial bias against Black remaining the number one incident, followed by antisemitic bias, as anti-Latino incidents rose to become the third-highest. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/18/r...

Anger over the Trump administration's actions brought more than 100 Beltsville residents out on a chilly, overcast Saturday to protest in one of dozens of No Kings events scheduled around the state to urge people to get out and vote. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/17/t...

A couple hundred people carrying decorated umbrellas walked from the former Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House to the Capitol lawn Saturday for a No Kings get-out-the-vote event in Washington, one of thousands across the U.S. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/17/r...

Months after first threatening to do so, the Trump administration officially filed a request to reconsider the construction permit it issued to an offshore wind project proposed off the coast of Ocean City. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/16/t...

David Schuhlein is leaving his job as communications director and Matt Jackson is getting a promotion in Senate President Bill Ferguson’s office, UMS lobbyist Susan Lawrence is retiring, and more support for David Lapp, in political notes. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/16/m...

More than 100,000 Ukrainians and 2,000 Sudanese immigrants are bracing for the possibility they’ll lose their humanitarian protections by Monday, but sources say the administration may issue an extension. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/16/r...

An NCAA survey of sports betting-related abuse of college athletes this year showed the most-harassed college athletes play men’s basketball, with 46% of those players who took part in the survey saying they had been targeted by bettors, up from 36% last year. marylandmatters.org/2026/10/16/n...