The Ballot Brief
Maryland ballot measures · 2026

Question 1 Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 (Constitutional Amendment)

Ballot measures › Maryland 2026 › Question 1

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Constitutional amendment (legislative referral)On the November 3, 2026 ballot

Did it pass? The official answer comes December 3.

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Done · Nov 3
Votes were cast and counted
Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.
2
Happening now · by Nov 13
Counties double-check their counts
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
Next · Dec 3
Maryland makes it official
The State Board of Canvassers certifies the result. The result appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 4, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call results. Official running count: Maryland official results.

Question 1: Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 (Constitutional Amendment)
Passed, WTOP reported.WTOP, “Maryland voters approve US House redistricting measure, elect Jawando to Montgomery County's top post”, November 4, 2026. Unofficial until certified.

Reports are checked daily until Maryland certifies on December 3; the official result is the state's certified count.

Maryland Question 1 (Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 (Constitutional Amendment)) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Official ballot language (Ch. 155 of the 2026 Legislative Session, HB 604; amends Article III): "Providing that each budget submitted by the Governor shall include proposed expenditures necessary to implement wages, hours, fringe benefits, health benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment in each collective bargaining memorandum of understanding with State employees, whether the State and State employees reached those terms and conditions by mutual agreement or through a neutral decider's order."

As of November 4, 2026, WTOP reported that Maryland Question 1 passed; the result is unofficial until Maryland certifies it on December 3.

What a yes or no vote means

A YES vote FOR: the Governor has to include money in the proposed State budget to pay for agreements between the State and its employees (wages, hours, fringe benefits, health benefits and other terms), whether reached by mutual agreement or decided by a neutral decider.
A NO vote AGAINST: the law about funding agreements between the State and State employees stays the same.
Read the certified ballot question

Official ballot language (Ch. 155 of the 2026 Legislative Session, HB 604; amends Article III): "Providing that each budget submitted by the Governor shall include proposed expenditures necessary to implement wages, hours, fringe benefits, health benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment in each collective bargaining memorandum of understanding with State employees, whether the State and State employees reached those terms and conditions by mutual agreement or through a neutral decider's order."

Verify with the state: official full text and details →.

See everything else on your Maryland ballot

About this measure

How it reached the ballot

Question 1 reached the Maryland ballot as a constitutional amendment (legislative referral).

About this page

Wording above follows the certified ballot language; The Ballot Brief does not take positions on measures.

Other Maryland statewide measures in 2026

Question 2: Temporary Appointments on the Commission on Judicial Disabilities (Constitutional Amendment)Question 3: Electoral Districts - General Assembly and Congressional Representatives (Constitutional Amendment)

All Maryland 2026 ballot measures · Maryland candidates