Ellis Walks Off Maryland Senate Floor, Demands Vote On Redistricting Bill

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Tensions over congressional redistricting intensified Thursday, Feb. 5, when Sen. Arthur Ellis of Charles County left the Maryland Senate floor in protest, calling on chamber leadership to allow a vote on a bill stalled in committee.

Ellis, a Democrat, said he plans to continue protesting for the remainder of the 2026 legislative session if necessary by refusing to participate in floor proceedings until House Bill 488 is released from the Senate Rules Committee. The bill would allow for midcycle changes to Maryland’s congressional map and passed the House earlier this week before being assigned to Rules on Wednesday.

“I must say I will try my best to get some people angry today by saying that I will not come back to this podium,” he said. “I will not come back to this podium and give quorum to this body until we bring the midcycle redistricting bill to this floor.”

Senate President Bill Ferguson, who has opposed midcycle redistricting, assigned the bill Wednesday to the Senate Rules Committee, a panel that has no dedicated staff and meets infrequently, most often to refer late-filed legislation to other standing committees. Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Ferguson declined to say the bill was dead on arrival but said the Senate was “not prioritizing” the proposal, signaling that it was unlikely to advance beyond the Rules Committee.

Ellis’ remarks came during the Senate’s Black History Month observances, where he delivered the first Black History Month speech of the year. His presentation focused on the role of Black women in the civil rights movement, which he described as “the architects of freedom, the unsung Black women of the civil rights movement.”

“These women were not just the backbone of the movement,” Ellis said. “They were the brains and its soul.”

As his remarks shifted from history to present-day politics, Ellis said he had spent the previous night reflecting on the speech and questioning his own role as a legislator.

“What are you doing today when so many people’s rights are being trampled and we have modern protesters being murdered in the streets of America?” Ellis said. “What are you doing? Who are you pissing off?”

Ellis said the issue was personal, citing what he described as the firing of Black women in Maryland by the current federal administration.

“So many Black women in Maryland and my district have been fired because of their race by this administration,” Ellis said. “Women with PhDs fired. I have a cousin who was fired. It is unacceptable for us to sit back and act like we cannot do anything about it.”

Ellis concluded his remarks by formally announcing his departure.

“Therefore, Mr. President, colleagues, I respectfully take my leave to make my protest moment possible,” he said.

Ellis then exited the chamber. Ferguson briefly acknowledged the departure, saying, “Thank you, senator,” .

Calls for Senate action have grown since the House approved the bill on Monday, Feb. 2. Gov. Wes Moore has urged the Senate to take up the proposal, debate it, and hold a vote.

Speaking with reporters after leaving the chamber, Ellis said he will attend floor sessions but will not register his presence for purposes of establishing a quorum. Senate rules require 24 of the chamber’s 47 members to conduct business, though a lawmaker’s physical presence alone is sufficient to establish a quorum.

Democrats hold 34 seats in the Maryland Senate, compared with 13 held by Republicans, making it unlikely that Ellis’ protest will disrupt Senate operations.

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