Maryland's 5th congressional district comprises all of Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert counties (a region known as Southern Maryland), as well as portions of Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties. The district is currently represented by Democrat Steny Hoyer, who from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023 was House Majority Leader.
When it was defined in 1788, the 5th Congressional District centered on Salisbury, Maryland. It consisted of the current Maryland counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester. In 1792 the boundaries of Maryland's congressional districts were redrawn, and the 5th District was made to include Baltimore and Baltimore County.
This district is safely Democratic, and has been in Democratic hands uninterrupted since the retirement of Lawrence Hogan (father of future Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan) in 1975. He was succeeded by Gladys Spellman, who served from 1975 until the seat was declared vacant by the House due to her falling into a coma in 1980. Hoyer won a special election that year to complete her term, and has held the seat since.
For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Anne Arundel County (12)
Calvert County (14)
Charles County (13)
St. Mary's County (11)
From 1803 to 1833, two seats were apportioned, elected at-large on a general ticket.