Thursday, October 18, 2012
How will you vote on the Congressional redistricting plan on Nov. 6?
In addition to more notable referendum questions such as same-sex marriage, DREAM Act and expanded gambling, Maryland voters will also be asked to decide the fate of the state's recently redrawn congressional districts. Earlier this week, Comptroller Peter Franchot announced he intends to vote against the maps and asked voters to do the same. The comptroller said the recent maps drawn by Gov. Martin O'Malley and approved by the General Assembly are unfair and make Maryland "the poster child for gerrymandering." A spokeswoman for the governor noted that the maps have survived a number of challenges in the courts and that the process used to create them is legally sound. Voters on Nov. 6 will be asked to vote for the referred law or against …
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Comptroller says Maryland "is the poster child for gerrymandering" and urges voters to vote no on Question 5.
Democratic Comptroller Peter Franchot said Monday he supports his party's candidates but that recent redistricting of Maryland's congressional is too heavy-handed. "This map is way over the edge in terms of bare-knuckle politics," said Franchot. "I'm a proud Democrat. I support Democrats. I just want it to be fair and not fixed," Franchot said, comparing the redistricting process to "Boss Tweed-style Chicago politics." Franchot Tuesday called for an independent, non-partisan commission that would redraw the congressional and state legislative districts. The change would help restore faith in the political system, he said. The comptroller said the districts should be more compact in order to provide voters with better representation. He …
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Congressional redistricting bill put forth by Gov. Martin O'Malley passed 91 to 46 in the House after passing 33 to 13 in the Senate on Tuesday.
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Thursday, October 20, 2011
By Jessica Talson Capital News Service ANNAPOLIS—The Maryland House of Delegates passed a Congressional redistricting bill Wednesday that drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, who said it dilutes minority voting power and ignores geographical and political lines. The Congressional redistricting bill put forth by Gov. Martin O'Malley passed 91 to 46 in the House. The Senate approved the bill 33 to 13 on Tuesday. The bill will go back to the Senate on Thursday for approval of technical amendments, such as correcting typos. The new Congressional districts would slice away the more conservative part of District 6, represented by veteran Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-Buckeystown) making it marginally more Democratic. If a …
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Committee votes to reject Republican alternative plan and sends Gov. Martin O'Malley's map to the full House.
A committee voted 18-5 along party lines late Tuesday afternoon to send Gov. Martin O'Malley's congressional redistricting plan to the full House of Delegates for a vote. The action by the House Rules Committee sets the stage for preliminary and final votes on Wednesday. The same committee rejected a Republican alternative plan similar to one proposed by Republican Sen. E.J. Pipkin in the Senate. The Senate also rejected Pipkin's plan. The House is expected to reconvene around 5 p.m. Tuesday night and the delay any action on the bill until 10 a.m. Wednesday in order to give Republican lawmakers an opportunity to prepare amendments to the bill. House Speaker Michael Busch said debate on the bill and the amendments could be extended. "It's …
African-American voting rights groups, Republicans join to oppose O'Malley plan.
A coalition of African-American voting rights groups and Republicans announced they will oppose Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to redraw the state's eight congressional districts and warned that they intend to take the issue to court. Carletta Fellows, a spokeswoman for the Fannie Lou Hamer PAC, called O'Malley's plan "institutional racism" and said it violates the federal Voting Rights Act by not creating a third majority minority district. O'Malley's plan, which will have a hearing Monday afternoon, apparently attempts to protect six incumbent Democratic U.S. House members. There would also be changes for a Republican-held district, made up mostly of western Maryland, that would make elections there more competitive by adding part of …
Dana Schwartz
2:33 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
How can there be so many jerks in this state? This was not about Dems vs Reps, it was about disenfranchisement and too much power in the hands of people we didn't vote for! Very disappointed. It's an embarrassment being "the most gerrymandered state in the US". It's time for an amendment instituting term limits for MD legislators! more ›