Every 20 years Maryland’s Constitution promises voters the power to call a constitutional convention—our ultimate tool to modernize government—then stacks the deck so that power is almost impossible to use. Today, skipped answers on the convention question are treated like “no” votes. Meanwhile, every other constitutional vote in Maryland is decided by the people who actually answer the question. That double standard is the barrier.
How the “Silent Veto” Works
For the convention question, the state counts a majority of all voters in the election, not a majority of voters who answered the question. In practice, blank responses are counted against calling a convention. That’s a silent veto—by people who didn’t answer.
Case Study: 2010
In 2010, a majority of voters who answered the convention question said “yes.” The measure still failed because the number of “yes” votes was less than half of everyone who voted in the election overall. That isn’t majority rule—it’s a counting trick.
What This Reveals About Power
This is a case study in how Maryland politicians keep power for themselves. The double standard makes it harder to start a holistic reform process than to pass piecemeal tweaks later. It protects the status quo and those who already write the rules. Even more, the General Assembly can initiate a special convention referendum on its own—while voters face a tilted playing field every 20 years.
Our Solution: One Fair Rule
Harmonize the standard so the convention question is decided the same way as every other constitutional question: by a majority of the voters voting thereon—that is, only among people who actually answer the question. This ends the silent veto, restores real majority rule, and keeps all existing safeguards.
Plain-English Draft Change
The Payoff
Real democracy: Majority means a majority of those who vote on the question.
Consistency: One tabulation rule across our constitution.
Modernization when needed: Conventions are rare, but essential when incremental fixes can’t solve structural problems.
How It Happend
Introduce the harmonization amendment in the General Assembly.
Pass it by the constitutional vote required of each chamber.
Let Marylanders decide at the next general election.
Call to Action
Back the Fair Convention Vote Amendment. Endorse it, share this explainer, and help us build a cross-partisan coalition to put voters—not politicians—in charge of Maryland’s constitutional future.
