The Maryland General Assembly returns today for a special session ordered by Governor Hogan to consider congressional redistricting maps.
The governor has transmitted to the General Assembly fair maps written through an open and transparent process by the independent Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission. The people’s maps have received an ‘A’ rating from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project.
For their part, legislative leaders have drawn up antidemocratic and disgracefully gerrymandered maps written in secret—a backroom process that drew criticism from advocates. It’s no surprise that maps written by the politicians and for the politicians have received an ‘F’ rating from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project.
As Gen. Wesley Clark, former Democratic candidate for president, wrote in The Washington Post: “In this time of increasing partisan acrimony in America, we desperately need sensible nonpartisan policies to move our country forward, and partisan gerrymandering is perhaps the greatest impediment to making sure our democracy is working for the people.”
The choice is clear. The General Assembly should pass the people’s maps.
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