Maryland Senate Advances New Congressional Map
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A new congressional map for Maryland's eight U.S. House seats moved closer to final passage Wednesday, with supporters calling it an improvement on a map long criticized for gerrymandering, and opponents saying it remains unfairly drawn to favor Democrats -- and could even endanger the state's only Republican congressman.
The Maryland Senate advanced legislation outlining the new boundaries already passed by the Maryland House. Senators were set to vote later Wednesday.
Outside the Maryland State House, supporters of redistricting reform rallied for a change in how the map is drawn, with an open application process for citizens to serve on a redistricting commission whose members would be chosen by someone who is not a politician.
"We still don't have the process that we want, a fair open process that is done by a large broad range of citizens, not elected officials, and that is appointed by a neutral party," said Nancy Soreng, who is co-president of the League of Women Voters of Maryland.
Democrats, who have a supermajority in both chambers of the General Assembly, control redistricting in the state.
Senators rejected an amendment that would have substituted a proposal backed by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. Instead, they are moving forward with a map approved by a commission with six legislative leaders that included four Democrats and two Republicans.
Hogan, whose proposal was created by a panel of citizens he appointed that included three Democrats, three Republicans and three Independents, has said he would veto a map he believes is unfair. However, Democrats hold the three-fifths majority they would need to override a veto.
Democrats say the map they support makes improvements to the current one, making districts more compact and contiguous while continuing a commitment to diverse representation.
Sen. Melony Griffith, a Prince George's County Democrat who was on the legislature's commission, noted that the map was drafted after 10 in-person public hearings with input from residents around the state, as well as two virtual hearings.
"We tried to balance the information that we received using the tools that we have available to come up with a map that met the legal requirement and allowed communities of interest to stay together and be represented by the people that they choose to be their representative," Griffith said.
But Republicans say it's still badly gerrymandered, in which lines are drawn to favor a political party, and could threaten the state's lone Republican in Congress.
Some of the most closely watched changes affect the 1st Congressional District, which includes the Eastern Shore and is now represented by Republican Rep. Andy Harris. The change to what is now a strongly Republican district would add enough registered Democrats to outnumber Republicans, though the district would still be competitive.
Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, an Eastern Shore Republican, described the map favored by Democrats as one "where you see a dominance that will really affect the representation of the Eastern Shore." She said lawmakers were moving ahead "with a partisan map" and urged them to support the governor's proposal.
"Marylanders have made clear that they do not want gerrymandered maps, and what's disappointing and frustrating going through this process is that we have the opportunity this week in this Maryland General Assembly to break the cycle of gerrymandered maps," Carozza said.
Politicians across the U.S. this year have been gerrymandering -- drawing districts that either pack voters of the opposing party into a few districts or split them among multiple ones to dilute their influence. Republicans have done so in such states as North Carolina and Texas and Democrats have done it in Illinois and Oregon.
