The Power of Showing Up
At Forums AND the Polls

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A Note from Our Executive Director

Dear Friends and Changemakers,

May is the month where civic life gets loud, and that is exactly as it should be. Candidate forums are filling up calendars across Maryland, giving voters the rare opportunity to stand in the same room as the people asking for their vote and demand real answers. At the same time, the June 23 Primary is fast approaching, bringing with it consequential choices about who will represent our communities on development, utility costs, and public budgets.

And all of this is taking place against the backdrop of a seismic shift in voting rights. On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in a 6-3 decision along ideological lines. This is not an abstraction. It is a direct attack on the political power of Black communities and communities of color across this country, and its effects will be felt right here in Maryland.

One day before the ruling, Wes Moore signed the Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 into law, a critical and timely protection. But the fight is not over, and our readers deserve to understand exactly what happened, what it means, and what we must do next.

The through-line of this month’s newsletter is simple: informed participation wins. Not just showing up, but showing up prepared, informed, and undeterred. Read it, share it, and then go show up.

In solidarity,

Charly Carter

Executive Director, Step Up Maryland

What Just Happened to the Voting Rights Act and What It Means for You

On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down one of the most consequential civil rights decisions in a generation. In Louisiana v. Callais, a 6-3 majority struck down Louisiana’s congressional map that had created two majority-Black districts, ruling it an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. In doing so, the Court all but eviscerated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the landmark federal law that has protected Black voters and other voters of color from discriminatory electoral maps for more than six decades.

What Section 2 Was and Why It Mattered

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibited voting laws and electoral maps that dilute the power of minority voters. It was the legal tool that communities of color used to challenge discriminatory redistricting and demand fair representation at every level of government, from Congress down to school boards and county councils.

Majority-minority districts created under Section 2 have been the pathway through which hundreds of Black, Latino, and Asian American officials have won office across the country.

The Callais ruling did not formally repeal Section 2. What it did was dramatically narrow the circumstances under which a discriminatory map can be challenged. The majority ruled that states can now use claims of partisan gerrymandering to shield racially discriminatory maps from legal challenge, making it nearly impossible for communities of color to win in federal court, even when the evidence of racial discrimination is clear. As Justice Elena Kagan wrote in dissent, the decision renders Section 2 “all but a dead letter.”

The Immediate Fallout

The ruling’s effects were felt almost immediately across the country:

  • Louisiana suspended its May 16 congressional primary to redraw its maps to reduce Black representation, despite mail-in ballots already having been sent to voters.
  • Alabama, which had been required by the Supreme Court’s own 2023 ruling to create two majority-Black districts, filed an emergency motion to use its gerrymandered maps instead. The Court granted Alabama’s request on May 11.
  • Tennessee and Virginia state legislatures moved within days to redraw maps in ways that break up majority-minority districts.
  • Legal experts warn the ruling applies not just to congressional maps but to state legislative and local government districts as well, threatening representation on school boards, county councils, and city commissions nationwide.

Maryland is not yet off the hook. According to published reports, Maryland is among the states that have not yet submitted congressional district maps for judicial consideration under the new legal framework. What happens next in Maryland matters enormously.

Maryland’s Response: The Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026

Here is where Maryland stands apart, for now. On April 28, 2026, one day before the Callais ruling came down, Governor Wes Moore signed the Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2026 into law.

The emergency legislation took effect immediately. It applies to counties and municipalities, not state elections, and prohibits any electoral practice that impairs the ability of a protected class, defined as a race, color, or language minority group, to elect candidates of their choice.

It allows the state attorney general or any resident to sue a local government if there is evidence of polarized voting that dilutes minority representation.

This is meaningful protection. But Senate President Bill Ferguson acknowledged the uncertainty directly: “This decision is a tragic step backward and reflective of ongoing judicial extremism. We know that there are now even more significant risks of catastrophic effects on minority representation.”

The state law does not cover state legislative or congressional districts, and its full reach in the wake of Callais remains to be tested in court.

What This Means for Maryland Voters Right Now

Your vote is more important than ever. When legal protections are stripped away, political power is what remains. Turnout in the June 23 Primary and November General Election is not just civic participation, it is resistance.

  • Ask every candidate where they stand. Do they support strengthening the Maryland Voting Rights Act to cover state elections? Do they support federal legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act? Get them on record.
  • Watch Maryland’s redistricting process. Maryland has not yet finalized its congressional maps under the post-Callais legal framework. Community organizations, legal advocates, and engaged citizens must be present and vocal as that process unfolds.
  • Support organizations on the front lines. NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Common Cause Maryland, and Campaign Legal Center are among the groups fighting back in courts and statehouses. Know who they are and amplify their work.

Civil rights groups including Black Voters Matter and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights have launched a wave of education, registration, and mobilization efforts in response to Callais. The organizing response to this ruling is already underway. Join it.

Make Candidate Forums Work for You

Now that you know an appointed board controls your utility rates, here’s the next logical question: who sits on that board and could it be someone like you?

Across Maryland, spring is the prime season for local boards and commissions to open applications. These are the appointed bodies that make consequential decisions about land use, housing, public health, transportation, environmental policy, education, and yes, utility rates. They are not elected, which means most residents never think about them. But they shape everyday life in profound ways.

May and June are candidate forum season across Maryland. In the weeks leading up to the June 23 Primary, community organizations, civic leagues, houses of worship, and neighborhood associations will host forums where incumbents and challengers stand before voters and answer questions. These events are among the most valuable and most underused tools available to an informed voter.

A forum is not a spectacle. It is a job interview. You are one of the employers. And just like a job interview, the quality of the answers you get depends almost entirely on the quality of the questions you ask.

How to Formulate a Strong Question

Vague questions get vague answers. Specific questions put candidates on the record. Here is the difference:

Weak: “What is your position on affordable housing?”

Strong: “Our county has a goal of 1,000 new affordable units by 2030. We are currently at 340. What specific legislative action would you take in your first term to close that gap?”

A strong question has three ingredients:

  • A specific, verifiable fact or context. Ground your question in something real, a number, a policy, or a decision that was made or not made. This signals to the candidate and the room that you have done your homework. A clear ask for action, not just opinion. Ask what they will do, not just what they believe. Opinions are cheap at a forum. Commitments are what matter.
  • A reasonable scope. A question that covers three issues at once gives the candidate room to dodge all three. Aim for one focused question per turn.

The Art of the Follow-Up

Candidates are trained to bridge away from hard questions, to acknowledge what you asked and then pivot to their preferred talking points. When that happens, you have every right to follow up. Here is how to do it effectively:

  • Name the dodge politely but directly. “Thank you. I heard your broader position, but my question was specifically about [X]. Can you address that directly?” This holds them accountable without turning the moment combative.
  • Ask for a number or a deadline. When a candidate gives a general commitment, follow with: “Can you give us a specific number?” or “By what date would you expect that to happen?” Concrete answers are harder to walk back than general promises.
  • Ask what they have already done. For incumbents especially, past action is the best predictor of future behavior. “You have been in office for [X] years. What specific steps did you take on this issue during that time?”
  • Ask who else they are accountable to. “Which organizations or constituencies do you see yourself representing on this issue?” The answer tells you a great deal about whose interests will actually shape their decisions.

Forums and the Vote Go Hand in Hand

Attending a candidate forum without voting is like reading every review of a restaurant and then not eating. The forum gives you information. The ballot is where you act on it. And in primary elections, which typically see far lower turnout than general elections, your vote carries outsized weight. Races have been decided by dozens of votes. The people who attend forums and then vote are, statistically, among the most influential participants in our democracy.

But the connection runs deeper than individual impact. When more residents attend forums and ask informed, specific questions, candidates are forced to be more concrete and accountable in their public commitments. That accountability does not end on Election Day. Those recorded answers become a benchmark against which we can measure their performance in office. Community engagement at forums, paired with strong voter turnout, creates a feedback loop that makes civic participation more responsive to everyone in it.

Find a forum near you: Check your local civic league, NAACP chapter, League of Women Voters, or neighborhood association calendar. Many forums are also livestreamed, so you can participate from home.

Public-Private Deals: When Do Residents Get a Say?

Across Maryland, cities and counties are entering into public-private development agreements, deals that use public land, tax incentives, or public financing to support private projects. These arrangements can deliver real community benefits, like affordable housing and local jobs. They can also funnel public resources toward private profit with little accountability. The difference often comes down to whether residents showed up.

What to Watch For

  • Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) A strong CBA is a legally binding contract between a developer and community organizations that locks in specific commitments, local hiring targets, affordable unit percentages, and green space. Always ask: is there a CBA, and who negotiated it?
  • Tax Increment Financing (TIF) TIFs divert future property tax growth to pay for a development’s infrastructure. That means the public absorbs risk. Ask your elected officials to explain the payback period and what happens if the project underperforms.
  • The comment window. Most development agreements require at least one public hearing, but many residents never hear about it. Sign up for your local planning department’s notification list and watch your city council’s agenda.
  • Who is at the table. Ask which community organizations were consulted before the deal was drafted. Engagement after the fact is not the same as genuine co-design.

The June 23 Primary is an opportunity to elect officials who will build this kind of transparency into how deals get done, before the ink is dry.

Election Spotlight: June 23 Primary Voter Guide

All 147 seats of the Maryland General Assembly are on the ballot this June. That means every community activist reading this newsletter has an opportunity to help elect champions on the issues that matter most: voting rights, development accountability, utility affordability, and transparent public budgets.

Four Questions to Ask Every Candidate

  • On voting rights: “The Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais has gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Do you support expanding Maryland’s new state Voting Rights Act to cover state legislative and congressional elections? And do you support federal legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act?”
  • On development: “Do you support requiring Community Benefit Agreements for public-private development deals in our jurisdiction? What enforcement mechanisms would you put in place?”
  • On utilities: “The PSC allowed significant rate increases in 2024 and 2025. Would you support legislation to limit utility cost recovery for executive compensation and non-essential expenses? Why did you or your predecessor vote the way they did on HB 1 / SB 2?”
  • On budgets: “Do you support participatory budgeting processes that give residents a direct role in setting spending priorities? How have you solicited community input in past budget decisions?”

Early Voting Dates — Mark Your Calendar

Maryland offers early voting before the primary so you do not have to wait until Election Day.

Not sure who is on your ballot? Learn more about Maryland’s 2026 Primaries here.

Take Action This Month

Plan Your Vote: Early Voting Starts June 11

The June 23 Primary is the most consequential local election in years. Early voting means you have multiple chances to cast your ballot, no excuses.

Find early voting locations and hours →

Check or update your voter registration →

Check out Candidate Forums near you

Baltimore City

Baltimore County

Howard County

Montgomery County State Legislativey, Montgomery County Council

Prince Georges County