Baltimore Referendum on Inner Harbor Redevelopment Faces Legal Hurdles as Election Day Approaches
In a dramatic showdown at the Maryland Supreme Court, an attorney representing voters seeking to block a controversial Baltimore referendum on the redevelopment of the Inner Harbor faced tough questions from justices on Wednesday. With Election Day just weeks away and thousands of ballots already cast, the court is under pressure to make a swift decision on whether the referendum should proceed.
The hour-long hearing centered around an appeal from the Maryland State Board of Elections, challenging a ruling made last month by Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Cathleen Vitale. Her order currently prevents city officials from counting any votes related to Question F, which proposes significant changes to the Harborplace area. Chief Justice Matthew Fader, who indicated a desire for an expedited resolution, left many wondering about the timeline for a ruling.
As it stands, more than 63,000 mail-in ballots have been sent to Baltimore voters, with around 18% already returned. This situation complicates matters, as Judge Vitale’s order prohibits the certification of results for Question F, leaving voters in limbo about the fate of the redevelopment project. The urgency is palpable, especially for those voters who may be overseas and relying on timely ballot processing.
Attorney Thiru Vignarajah, representing the opponents of the ballot question, argued that the lawsuit was not filed too late, countering claims from the state’s attorney general. He emphasized that legal challenges are often brought during this time frame, particularly in the lead-up to elections. However, Chief Justice Fader pointed out that many previous challenges occurred during primary elections, which have different timelines and regulations.
Vignarajah also raised concerns about the clarity of the referendum’s language, asserting that it was so confusing that it could not be adequately fixed. He argued that the lower court’s decision to invalidate the question was justified, given the incoherence of the wording. “When the remedy is invalidation, there is no language that can make this clear given the timetable,” he stated.
On the other side, Assistant Attorney General Daniel Kobrin urged the court to overturn Judge Vitale’s ruling, arguing that allowing it to stand would confuse voters who have already received their ballots. “People are going to vote on it, and there are going to be voters who have no idea any of this is happening,” he warned. Kobrin emphasized that such uncertainty could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
As the justices deliberated, the stakes grew higher for both the city and its voters. With the clock ticking down to Election Day, the Maryland Supreme Court’s decision will be crucial in determining whether the Inner Harbor redevelopment referendum will be included in the final ballot count. For now, Baltimore voters are left anxiously awaiting clarity on an issue that could reshape one of the city’s most iconic areas.
