Maryland Mandatory Retirement Age for State Judges Amendment (2026)
| Maryland Mandatory Retirement Age for State Judges Amendment | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic State judicial selection |
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| Status Proposed |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
The Maryland Mandatory Retirement Age for State Judges Amendment may appear on the ballot in Maryland as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2026.[1]
The amendment would increase the mandatory retirement age for state judges from 70 to 73 and apply the retirement age to Orphans' Court judges.[2]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the amendment can be read here.
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Maryland Constitution
Amending the Maryland Constitution
- See also: Amending the Maryland Constitution
A 60% vote is required during one legislative session for the Maryland State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 85 votes in the Maryland House of Delegates and 29 votes in the Maryland State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
House Bill 638 (2026)
The following is the timeline of the constitutional amendment in the state legislature:[1]
- January 30, 2026: House Bill 638 was introduced.
- March 21, 2026: House Bill 638 passed the House by a vote of 91-31. The vote will be published below when it becomes available.
See also
View other measures certified for the 2026 ballot across the U.S. and in Maryland.
Explore Maryland's ballot measure history, including constitutional amendments.
Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.
External links
Footnotes
