Liveblog of special session on redistricting

05:13 pm

The Senate committee approved O’Malley’s plan with a party line vote. Goes to the floor at 6 p.m. #mdpolitics

04:25 pm

Getty: Why are we meeting the minimum of the Voting Rights Act when we can have a third minority district? #mdpolitics

04:23 pm

Getty: Census numbers are approaching 50% minorities, but gov’s plan only has two minority districts. #mdpolitics

04:21 pm

Sen. Getty: His plan is “10 years ahead of its time.” Priority is Western Maryland. #mdpolitics

04:19 pm

We crashed for a while, and now we’re back up. Check the Twitter feed for posts during our site outage. #mdpolitics

03:58 pm

Jacobs: These bills we are presenting to you today are about fairness across the board. #mdpolitics

03:57 pm

Jacobs: Gov’s map is “misguided and rather myopic,” designed for a “party headcount” in DC. #mdpolitics

03:55 pm

Jacobs: Our bill is to put voters 1st. Look at our District 3: It is compact. It is together. #mdpolitics

03:54 pm

Jacobs: You can tell from looking at all three maps we are presenting today, it can be done. We keep communities together. #mdpolitics

03:52 pm

O’Donnell: This map, as compared to the ink-splotted map, looks very very different. #mdpolitics

03:51 pm

Discussion is finished on O’Malley’s plan. Now, O’Donnell and Jacobs are presenting the minority plan.

03:48 pm

Joseph Corbett: Outrageous plan, especially the 3rd district. “What is the rationale?” #mdpolitics

03:41 pm

Fellows: Will file a grievance with court if there are not ultimately three majority minority districts. #mdpolitics

03:39 pm

Fellows: “This gross miscarriage of justice is something we believe to be institutional racism.” #mdpolitics

03:38 pm

Carletta Fellows, Fannie Lou Hamer PAC: State of Maryland is negligent in Voting Rights Act. #mdpolitics

03:35 pm

George: Most constituents see Gov’s map for what it is: an embarrassment to good government. #mdpolitics

03:33 pm

Del. George: Governor’s proposed map makes gerrymandered previous maps look good. #mdpolitics

03:30 pm

Ladd: Scale: 1 is everyone’s dream, 2 is a fair representation, 3 is not everyone’s happy about it. 4 is ouch. #mdpolitics

03:28 pm

Richard Ladd: Map proposed really acts against forming of communities. Here because saying “Ouch.” #mdpolitics

03:26 pm

Wichman: Gov’s plan moves more than 30% of people to new districts when population only grew 9%, which is confusing. #mdpolitics

03:24 pm

Michelle Wichman, Common Cause: Process is flawed. It should involve multiple versions of maps, and more comment periods. #mdpolitics

03:22 pm

James Clany: It’s time for Anne Arundel County to get what it deserves. It needs to be in its own district. #mdpolitics

03:18 pm

Barve: If the objective is to empower people from nontraditional backgrounds to seek office, gov’s plan meets it very well. #mdpolitics

03:15 pm

Barve: There may be some in the Indian community that don’t like gov’s plan, but none of them told him. #mdpolitics

03:12 pm

Barve: In favor of O’Malley’s plan. Very much opposed to any proposal to split Montgomery County between 4 or more districts #mdpolitics

03:07 pm

Edwards: Under my plan, try to concentrate minorities into the 4th District. Gov’s plan dilutes minority representation. #mdpolitics

03:03 pm

Navarro: Not endorsing any specific map, just wants some enhancements for the Latino community. #mdpolitics

03:00 pm

Nancy Navarro: This is about continuing to work with Latino communities to increase civic participation. #mdpolitics

02:58 pm

Ervin: Changes to the map are “encouraging,” but there’s still tweaking that can be done. #mdpolitics

02:57 pm

Ervin: Montgomery County’s minority populations all grew. But in Districts 3, 6 and 8, fewer minorities would be represented. #mdpolitics

02:54 pm

Valerie Ervin: This is an extraordinary moment for all points of view to be on the table. #mdpolitics

02:52 pm

Hixson: Edwards is talking about her district; no problems there with not voting for minorities #mdpolitics

02:50 pm

Ramirez: Looking at O’Malley’s minority percentages in districts vs. Edwards’ minority percentages; where’s the big difference? #mdpolitics

02:43 pm

@repdonnaedwards: No dilution; common interests are united. #mdpolitics

02:41 pm

King: If we go with @repdonnaedwards map, Montgomery County has four districts, Prince George’s has three. Does it dilute representation? #mdpolitics

02:29 pm

@repdonnaedwards: If BRAC can be a community of interest, so can minorities in Montgomery County. #mdpolitics

02:26 pm

@repdonnaedwards #redistricting plan: http://bit.ly/qPoTnh #mdpolitics

02:21 pm

@repdonnaedwards: Believe it is possible to meet concerns about minorities in Montgomery County and fulfill constitutional #redistricting rules. #mdpolitics

02:18 pm

@repdonnaedwards: Historic reasons why some communities were unified: common interests. Concentrations of minority communities now split. #mdpolitics

02:14 pm

@repdonnaedwards: Doesn’t think anyone can say with certitude that the plan from the governor — or any other plan — meets the Voting Rights Act. #mdpolitics

02:10 pm

Soreng: The way the districts are currently drawn, it may have impacted the ability to have majority minority districts. #mdpolitics

02:07 pm

Rutherford: We should have the proposed #redistricting map first, then months of hearings on that. #mdpolitics

02:05 pm

Anne Rutherford: Ask for the gerrymandering to be taken out. The point was to make the districts cohesive. #mdpolitics

02:03 pm

Howard Gorrell: Base #redistricting lines on geographic and natural boundaries. If that doesn’t work, use school districts. #mdpolitics

02:00 pm

McIntosh: Gov’s map creates more competitive districts, takes away partisan leanings of districts. #mdpolitics

01:59 pm

Nancy Soreng, LWV: Have been trying to change #redistricting process, no success; just a “bizarrely drawn” map. #mdpolitics

01:58 pm

Hitchcock: Large number of people with no political persuasion came to #redistricting hearings to talk about their communities. #mdpolitics

01:50 pm

Hitchcock: Never been specifically accused of drawing a map in violation of the Voting Rights Act. #mdpolitics

01:49 pm

O’Donnell: AG’s office said gov’s map in full compliance with Voting Rights Act? Hitchcock: Had an expert consulting with. #mdpolitics

01:44 pm

Leggett: Rep. Edwards is here to testify against map. Baker: one representative favors, one doesn’t. Rawlings-Blake: Satisfied. #mdpolitics

01:42 pm

Pugh: Legislative Black Caucus was concerned about minority representation. What were discussions with your Congress members? #mdpolitics

01:40 pm

Leggett: Believes minorities can be elected in districts where they are not the majority. #mdpolitics

01:38 pm

Rushern Baker: Feel O’Malley’s map is very strong for Prince George’s County; allows more great representation Capitol Hill. #mdpolitics

01:36 pm

Leggett: When you look at the challenges to #redistricting, O’Malley’s map addresses them. #mdpolitics

01:34 pm

Ike Leggett: I cannot say this map substantially harms interest of those concerned about diversity, leadership. #mdpolitics

01:33 pm

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake: Testifies in support of O’Malley’s plan. It’s good for Baltimore and ensures good representation #mdpolitics

01:28 pm

O’Malley’s chief legislative officer Joe Bryce shares boundaries and areas of the eight districts. #mdpolitics

01:24 pm

Hitchcock: There is no easy way to draw maps, but this is balanced, fair, violates no laws, encompasses spirit of what we want. #mdpolitics

01:17 pm

Hitchcock: O’Malley’s map “meets not only the letter, but the spirit of the voting rights law.” #mdpolitics

01:16 pm

Hitchcock: O’Malley’s map reflects changing demographics. 70% of people keep same district, all 8 reps stay in their districts. #mdpolitics

01:14 pm

Jeanne Hitchcock: Assures legislators each that their constituents showed up, spoke out, were heard. #mdpolitics

01:10 pm

Robey: Six pieces of legislation will be considered today. #mdpolitics

01:08 pm

Joint Hearing Room is filling up with few seats to spare and large pictures of O’Malley’s #redistricting proposal on display.#mdpolitics

01:03 pm

Hamer PAC will look to GOP for help funding lawsuit if Gov’s plan passes without 3 minority districts. #mdpolitics

01:01 pm

Carletta Fellow of Fannie Lou Hamer PAC says Black Caucus legislators were cajoled into backing gov’s plan. #mdpolitics

12:58 pm

“if everybody had their own wishes, we’d have 47 bills,” Miller tells Senate. He still wants vote today. #mdpolitics

12:55 pm

Sen. E.J. Pipkin introduced two dozen bills, but Miller says they won’t be acted on. He suggested hearings in interim.

12:48 pm

People are slowly filtering into the Joint Hearing Room for the hearing on redistricting and changes in school districts.

10:53 am

At news conference, O’Malley repeatedly insists his map “is as fair and balanced as we could make it.”

10:49 am

Senate President Miller says he hopes to take first vote on redistricting tonight after committee reports out bill.