Tag: redistricting
Running for redistricting reform: 225-mile gerrymander meander
Over the rivers and through the woods, two dozen runners and bikers will start a 3-day super marathon Friday morning to traverse the 225-mile perimeter of Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District, the second most gerrymandered seat in the country.
The “gerrymander meander” is organized by Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, and the Annapolis section of the National Council of Jewish Women to encourage Maryland to reform its highly partisan process of congressional redistricting.
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Voters support independent redistricting commission, poll finds
More than two-thirds of Maryland voters support redrawing legislative district lines using an independent commission, rather than by elected officials, according to a new poll.
Read MoreMaryland has least compact congressional districts in nation
Maryland is still the undisputed U.S. champion when it comes to drawing sprawling, weirdly shaped congressional districts, according to a soon-to-be-released national study. Maryland has the least compact congressional districts in the nation, based on four mathematical tools for compactness, Azavea, a geographic information services firm in Philadelphia, plans to report in a white paper.
Read MoreGOP desperate for ballot signatures, as are Greens
Republicans hoping to overturn Maryland’s gerrymandered congressional districts are sounding desperate to collect enough by the deadline at midnight Saturday.
They say they need to collect 7,000 signatures to be on the safe side to put the redistricting map on the ballot with a total of 55,736 valid signings.
Read MoreBriefs: Redistricting petition drive; Newt in Naptown; no study of third Bay Bridge
Republicans and minority groups upset with new lines drawn for congressional districts are starting a petition drive to put the maps on the ballot in November. Newt Gingrich visits Annapolis. The Senate rejects a study for a third bay bridge.
Read MoreRedistricting overhaul proposed, but unlikely to pass
Since the new district maps to elect members of Congress and the legislature have sparked anger and lawsuits, many throughout the state have questioned the way that the lines are drawn, especially after the legislative redistricting plan quietly became law without hearings in the General Assembly. Several overhaul plans have been proposed, but none are likely to pass.
Read MoreBrochin offers new redistricting process
Sen. James Brochin has proposed a law to reduce partisanship in future redistricting decisions by creating a Temporary Redistricting Commission in the year following a U.S. Census. Brochin, a Towson Democrat, believes his 42nd District in Baltimore County was redrawn into “ultra-Republican” areas — as punishment for regularly voting with the Republican minority on fiscal issues.
Read MoreRacial politics and community concerns dominate redistricting hearing
Racial politics and concerns about community cohesion dominated a three-hour hearing Thursday as scores of people from across Maryland came to Annapolis to condemn, offer suggestions and even praise the new legislative district map drawn by Gov. Martin O’Malley’s Redistricting Advisory Committee.
Read MoreAnalysis: Legislative redistricting has Republicans frowning
The two top Democrats in the General Assembly are pretty happy with the legislative district maps they helped draw, safely slicing the pie to protect their super-majorities. Republicans, on the other hand, are not pasting smiley face stickers on the plan submitted Friday evening, which could force some incumbents to run against each other.
Read MoreLiveblog of special session on redistricting
Megan Poinski and Len Lazarick followed Monday’s activity in Annapolis — especially the joint hearing on redistricting — with a liveblog. Here is the transcript, with the most recent posts on the top.
Read MoreBrief, intense special session kicks off with target on Bartlett’s back
The 188 members of the Maryland General Assembly return to the State House today for what promises to be a brief but intense special session to redraw congressional district lines.
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