BALTIMORE, Md. — The Governor's Redistricting Commission, chaired by Senator Angela Alsobrooks, voted in a closed-door meeting to approve a map recommendation for mid-cycle redistricting.
"This recommendation reflects the work of Marylanders—built from public map submissions, shaped by hours of community feedback, and developed through a transparent redistricting process," said Alsobrooks in a statement.
The map, submitted by David Kunes, can be seen below:
“At a moment when other states are moving aggressively to redraw maps, and when fundamental voting rights protections face renewed threats, Maryland has a responsibility to lead with urgency," said Alsobrooks.
Senate President Bill Ferguson, also a member of the Commission, and an outspoken critic of this mid-cycle redistricting process, called the map "objectively unconstitutional."
"From the outset, the Senate's position has been consistent: in this important moment, Maryland cannot risk going backwards by giving the Trump Administration another seat or two in Congress from Maryland’s delegation,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson.
"Further, this map fails the Governor’s own test. It breaks apart more neighborhoods and communities than our existing map, and it fails the constitutional requirement of one person, one vote," continued Ferguson. "We heard from no Boards of Elections. We heard nothing from the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, which would have to defend this process and outcome. We heard no testimony to the impact on our election cycle. Ultimately, a flawed process has delivered a flawed product."
Republicans also called out the process and the map.
"This Commission was merely a drawn-out political sham with a pre-determined outcome: to rid Maryland of any Republican representation in Congress and disenfranchise voters in Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore," said House Minority Leader Jason Buckel. "Nothing drives this home more than their absurd end product."
"Maryland has a long and storied history of being one of the worst gerrymandered states in America," said House Minority Whip Jesse Pippy. "[T]he Commission's actions today further solidifies that legacy."
Jeff Morgan contributed to this reporting.
This story is developing and will be updated.
