By Cory Kefauver
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The General Assembly’s Redistricting Advisory Commission (RAC) met virtually on Monday night to go over the proposed congressional redistricting maps and to hear comments and criticisms from citizens.
The RAC presented four maps of possible new congressional districts for Maryland voters.
Michelle Davis, a policy analyst with the state Department of Legislative Services and an expert at redistricting, said that the first two maps would mostly keep the state’s eight congressional districts the same while the third and fourth drafts create more changes.
Many citizens who spoke at the meeting said they were concerned with the individual needs of their districts.
Randy Guy, commissioner president of St. Mary’s County, said he was worried about the unique needs of his county being ignored.
“I want to keep our county as whole as possible,” Guy said. “Everything is different here even compared to our neighboring counties.”
Kimberly Robinson, the director of regulatory and government affairs at Cigna, said West Baltimore has similar concerns.
“We ask that you be mindful of the effects that districts that are multi-jurisdictional can have on a city like Baltimore,” Robinson said. “West Baltimore for instance has very specific challenges and needs.”
The states redraw their congressional and legislative districts once every 10 years after the decennial census. In Maryland, the legislature is responsible for how those districts are drawn, although the governor can veto the maps.
Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, condemned the redistricting efforts of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly in a tweet Monday, accusing legislators of gerrymandering districts in a way that would put GOP candidates at a disadvantage.
“Partisan legislators in Annapolis are shamefully trying to rig the system to concentrate on one party’s voters as much as possible,” Hogan said. “Their maps are so outrageously unfair that the nonpartisan Princeton Gerrymandering Project gives failing grades to all four of their maps.”
Hogan appointed a bipartisan commission in January to develop congressional districts that would reduce gerrymandering. The commission’s proposed map, which was given to the governor earlier this month, has also been sent to the General Assembly.
Some residents were concerned with the maps giving too much of an advantage to the state’s lone Republican congressperson, U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, who voted not to certify the 2020 election results.
Beth Conner, who lives in District 7 but owns a home in Harris’s District 1, said that she believes a more competitive district is necessary to combat Harris and his attacks on the 2020 election.
Conner echoed Hogan’s claims of gerrymandering but said that it benefits Republicans over Democrats.
“I believe in our constitution and the right to a free and fair election,” Connor said. “I believe this is partisan gerrymandering that is happening. Andy Harris is a threat to our democracy and has turned his back on the constitution by not certifying several states after President Biden’s win.”
Kristin Cook, a resident of Montgomery County, agreed with Conner but said that none of the maps go far enough to mitigate the threat Harris represents.
“None of the four proposed maps go far enough to reduce the risk of Maryland’s resident insurrectionist from being re-elected again,” Cook said. “We need the first district to be competitive to allow voters to render a verdict on Harris.”
Arlene Wongus, president of the alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta in Baltimore, spoke about how the redistricting should be reflective of the needs of the community.
“Baltimore has the second highest percentage of children living in poverty in the state,” Wongus said. “The needs are increasing, and more intense for people of color. We implore the commission to ensure that the mapping is reflective of this representation.”