Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District covers Howard County, a large share of Anne Arundel County including Annapolis and Glen Burnie, and a slice of Carroll County reaching Mount Airy. Democrat Sarah Elfreth has represented the district in the U.S. House since January 3, 2025.1Representative Sarah Elfreth. About The current boundaries took effect for the 2022 elections after a state court struck down an earlier map and ordered a redraw.
What the District Covers
The 3rd District sits in central Maryland along the Baltimore–Washington corridor. It includes all of Howard County, a large portion of Anne Arundel County (including the state capital), and a section of Carroll County in the district’s northwest corner.1Representative Sarah Elfreth. About The mix runs from dense suburban communities to rural stretches of Carroll County.
Fort George G. Meade sits inside the district at the Howard–Anne Arundel line. The base houses U.S. Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, the Defense Information Systems Agency, and other intelligence and defense organizations.2Department of Planning Military & Community Compatibility. Fort George G. Meade Its presence shapes the local economy, with professional and technical services, retail trade, and health care leading district employment.3U.S. Small Business Administration. Maryland Congressional District Profiles 2026
Each of Maryland’s eight congressional districts holds roughly 773,160 residents to meet the federal equal-population rule.4Ballotpedia. Redistricting in Maryland
Who Represents the District
Sarah Elfreth, a Democrat, took office on January 3, 2025. She previously served six years in the Maryland State Senate and was the youngest woman ever elected to that body when she won her seat in 2018.1Representative Sarah Elfreth. About
In the House, Elfreth serves on the Armed Services Committee (Readiness and Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittees) and the Natural Resources Committee (Energy and Mineral Resources and Water, Wildlife and Fisheries subcommittees).5Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Member Profile Sarah Elfreth Her legislative work has leaned toward defense priorities tied to Fort Meade and the Naval Academy, including seven bills signed into law through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 covering military climate-resilience planning, the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program, mental health access for Cyber Command personnel, and protections for the Greenbury Point Conservation Area at Naval Support Activity Annapolis.6Representative Sarah Elfreth. President Signs Five Elfreth Bills and Two Co-Led Bills Into Law
District Office and Casework
The local office is at 10440 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 550, Columbia, MD 21044.7Representative Sarah Elfreth. Office Locations Constituents can contact the office for help navigating federal agencies, including Social Security, VA claims, IRS disputes, Medicare billing, immigration applications, and military-related inquiries. The office helps only 3rd District residents and only with federal matters, not state or local issues.
Voter Registration Snapshot
As of February 2026, the district had roughly 599,762 registered voters. Democrats made up about 43.6 percent, Republicans about 26.4 percent, and third-party or unaffiliated voters roughly 30 percent.8Maryland State Board of Elections. District Voter Counts Report The Democratic edge is clear, but the unaffiliated share is large enough that general elections are competitive in practice.
2026 Election Dates
House members serve two-year terms, so the seat is on the ballot every even-numbered year.9house.gov. The House Explained Key dates for the 2026 cycle:
- Candidate filing deadline: February 24, 2026, at 9:00 p.m.10Maryland State Board of Elections. 2026 Gubernatorial Election Calendar
- Primary election: June 23, 2026.10Maryland State Board of Elections. 2026 Gubernatorial Election Calendar
- General election: November 3, 2026.
Maryland allows same-day voter registration during early voting and on Election Day for general elections. You can check your registration status and confirm your congressional district through the Maryland State Board of Elections voter lookup tool or by entering your ZIP code at house.gov.
How the Current Map Came to Be
The 3rd District’s current lines are the product of a court-ordered redraw. Maryland handles congressional redistricting through ordinary legislation: the General Assembly passes a bill, and the Governor can sign or veto it, with the legislature able to override.11Ballotpedia News. Maryland Enacts New Congressional District Maps After Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 2 USC 2c – Congressional Districts13Legal Information Institute. One-Person, One-Vote Rule
After the 2020 Census, the Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed a congressional map that Governor Larry Hogan vetoed, calling it “an egregious violation of the civil rights of the people of Maryland.” The legislature overrode the veto within hours, enacting the map on December 9, 2021.11Ballotpedia News. Maryland Enacts New Congressional District Maps After Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto
In March 2022, Anne Arundel County Senior Judge Lynne Battaglia struck the map down as “an outlier and a product of extreme gerrymandering,” the first time a court had invalidated a Maryland congressional map. The General Assembly drew a revised plan, which Governor Hogan signed on April 4, 2022, and the courts approved it in time for that year’s elections.4Ballotpedia. Redistricting in Maryland14Maryland State Board of Elections. Redistricting That revised map established the boundaries in use today.
What Happens After 2030
The current lines stay in place until new maps are drawn after the 2030 Census. Governor Wes Moore has already established a Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Commission for the next cycle. Given fast-growing populations in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, the 3rd District’s shape could shift meaningfully in the next round.