ANNAPOLIS — Democracy was saved Thursday after Maryland’s highest court ruled voters will be permitted to decide whether Democrats should receive even fewer restrictions on drawing congressional districts they already overwhelmingly control.

The Supreme Court of Maryland reversed two lower-court rulings that had blocked Question 3, clearing the proposed constitutional amendment for the November ballot.

There was only one tiny problem.

The ballot language was misleading.

So the court ordered it rewritten.

Maryland Democrats reportedly celebrated the ruling as a tremendous victory for democracy, particularly the part where democracy needed new wording before anyone could understand what they were voting for.

Gov. Wes Moore praised the development while standing beside a giant Maryland map shaped like a pretzel.

“This is about giving power back to the people,” Moore reportedly said while quietly sliding a redistricting Sharpie behind his back.

Senate President Bill Ferguson also welcomed the ruling after previously discovering that congressional districts apparently become unconstitutional only when Republicans might benefit from them.

Question 3 could clear the way for Maryland lawmakers to revisit congressional boundaries after the election.

Democrats currently control seven of Maryland’s eight congressional seats.

Political scientists refer to this condition as:

“Almost enough.”

The remaining Republican seat belongs to Rep. Andy Harris on the Eastern Shore, an increasingly endangered Maryland species now protected only slightly more than the Chesapeake Bay blue crab.

Annapolis Democrats insist the amendment has absolutely nothing to do with eliminating that final Republican district.

Coincidentally, several cartographers were reportedly seen measuring whether Ocean City could be connected to Takoma Park using one extremely determined bike trail.

Republicans had challenged the amendment after lawmakers pushed it through a special session. Two circuit judges sided with the challengers, citing problems with the legislative process, election-law deadlines and the ballot wording.

Maryland’s Supreme Court essentially responded:

“Nah. Put it on there. But maybe explain it better.”

Election officials are now expected to produce revised ballot language describing Question 3 in terms Maryland voters can easily understand:

QUESTION 3:
Should Annapolis receive additional flexibility to draw congressional districts until the map looks like somebody dropped spaghetti on Frederick County?

☐ Yes
☐ Yes, but make the spaghetti compact

Supporters stressed that voters still have the final say.

Which is comforting.

Because nothing says grassroots democracy quite like a supermajority legislature holding a special session to change the constitution so it can redraw political boundaries that might eventually produce an 8–0 congressional delegation.

The Canton Cat attempted to obtain comment from Maryland’s two-party system.

Unfortunately, only one party answered the phone.

The other had apparently been redistricted into Delaware.