A Maryland court ruled Wednesday against a proposed constitutional amendment that could have let Democrats redraw the state's congressional districts before the 2028 elections.

The decision by a judge in the state's capital city of Annapolis blocks the measure and marks another setback in Democrats' national attempts to adjust district boundaries.

Redistricting efforts often draw scrutiny after each census, with states required to update maps to reflect population changes. Maryland's current congressional map has faced prior legal challenges over its configuration.

The ruling prevents the amendment from advancing and maintains existing processes for any future map adjustments. Lawmakers in the state had sought the change to potentially allow earlier action ahead of the next election cycle.

This outcome aligns with similar court decisions in other states that have limited attempts to alter redistricting timelines outside standard procedures.