MARYLAND (WBFF) — The Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Commission (GRAC) has decided to move forward with recommending new congressional maps for Maryland following a Thursday night meeting, according to Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.
The decision comes less than a week after GRAC held its fourth and final meeting, hearing public comment on whether the state’s maps should be redrawn.
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This initiative comes after President Donald Trump encouraged red states to reconfigure their maps ahead of the midterm elections.
In a statement, Sen. Ferguson said he believes GRAC’s work was pre-determined from when the commission was announced.
Ferguson noted that most Marylanders oppose mid-cycle redistricting and the GRAC meetings didn’t include “thoughtful, informed conversation that would have included, at the very least, testimony from the Office of the Attorney General or our State and local boards of elections.”
“Pushing forward a pre-ordained recommendation outside the public eye is irresponsible and lacks transparency,” Sen. Ferguson added. “Our State’s residents have been clear in front of this commission and through polling. The overwhelming majority do not want a new congressional map.
They want their government focused on fostering growth, affordability, and real protections against this lawless federal Administration. The Senate of Maryland remains focused on this important agenda as we continue to try to tackle a $1.4 billion budget shortfall in Maryland’s state budget.”
House Minority Leader Jason Buckel echoed Ferguson’s feelings in a press release saying, “The Governor has put together a highly partisan “commission” to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. There has been limited and rushed public input — and at least 50% of it is against any redistricting.”
He also noted that the commission chair Sen. Angela Alsobrooks hasn’t participated in “many” of the remote meetings, including the most recent one on Dec. 12.
“Likely two of the five appointees, including one of Maryland’s leading Democrats, are opposed to any mid-cycle extreme partisan gerrymandering,” Buckel said, via a press release. “This commission is a farce and the General Assembly should pay no attention to any pre-ordained recommendations it may make.”
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Sen. Angela Alsobrooks said the committee is now asking Marylanders to submit their map ideas for consideration over the next two weeks by emailing grac@maryland.gov.
After Christmas, Sen. Alsobrooks said the committee will make the submitted maps available to the public and hold two more public meetings to get feedback on the options.
“This process will remain open, transparent, and focused on ensuring Maryland’s districts reflect our communities and comply with the law,” Sen. Alsobrooks said, via a press release.
At a moment when other states are moving aggressively to redraw maps—and with some already signaling they want the Supreme Court to weaken or effectively nullify key protections in the Voting Rights Act—Maryland cannot afford to sit on the sidelines. We have a responsibility to move forward so the next Congress reflects the will of the people and can serve as a real check on this President. That’s what tonight’s announcement is about: doing the work, inviting the public in, and getting this right.”
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