A Maryland commission on redistricting recommended in a closed session Thursday that the state move forward with plans to redraw its congressional map in hopes that it will win one more seat for Democrats in Congress next year.
Despite support from Gov. Wes Moore (D) and national Democrats, the redistricting effort may face an uphill battle during the upcoming legislative session in the face of opposition from Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City).
The commission is asking the public to submit maps over the next two weeks, and it will then seek feedback on the proposals before recommending one to the General Assembly ahead of the legislative session that begins Jan. 14.
“After Christmas, we will make the submitted maps available publicly and hold two additional public meetings,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland), who chairs the redistricting commission, said in a statement.
“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,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland), who chairs the redistricting commission, said in a statement. “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.”
Moore called on Maryland to join a national effort for Democratic-controlled states to fight back against a Trump-led campaign to redraw maps in red states to secure more U.S. House seats for Republicans in the midterm elections. Moore argued that it was fair for Maryland to consider redrawing its congressional map if other states were doing so, to ensure that its map was “fair and representative.”
A new Maryland map would probably aim to make the district represented by Rep. Andy Harris (R) more competitive, potentially clearing a path for Democrats to hold all eight congressional seats.
Although Moore has repeatedly said he opposes political gerrymandering, his redistricting push has garnered support from national Democratic figures, who explicitly called on Maryland to flip its sole Republican seat in Congress. Among them: former vice president Kamala Harris; Eric Holder, the former U.S. attorney general who chairs the National Democratic Redistricting Committee; and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York).
But the redistricting debate has divided Maryland Democrats. Ferguson in October blocked calls for a special legislative session this fall to draw a new map. He argued that mid-cycle redistricting would almost certainly be challenged in Maryland’s courts and could jeopardize the state’s existing map, which strongly favors Democrats. He said Democrats could end up losing a seat in Congress if the courts rejected an attempt to further gerrymander the map.
Ferguson has not waivered in his opposition, and any attempt to redraw Maryland’s congressional maps during the upcoming legislative session would need to go through the state Senate, which he controls.
In a statement before the commission’s meeting, Ferguson, who is a member of the commission, criticized the body for failing to engage in substantive discussion of the issue and making a recommendation without deliberation.
“Clearly, the Commission’s work was pre-determined from the moment the GRAC was announced,” he said.
Ferguson also said he believes the “overwhelming majority” of Marylanders do not want a new congressional map.
“We did not engage in a 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,” he said. “Pushing forward a pre-ordained recommendation outside the public eye is irresponsible and lacks transparency.”
Election deadlines leave little time for lawmakers to change district lines next year. Candidates must file by Feb. 24, giving lawmakers just over a month to change the district lines before that deadline passes. The primary election is scheduled for June 23.
Moore announced the redistricting commission in November. The commission consists of Alsobrooks, former Attorney General Brian Frosh, Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), Ferguson and Cumberland Mayor Raymond Morriss, who is the only Republican on the body. They were tasked with seeking public input on whether or not the state should pursue redistricting. While written feedback to the commission has included more pushback against the idea, oral testimony was significantly more positive, especially at the most recent public hearing.
A recent poll published by the University of Maryland at Baltimore County’s Institute of Politics found that just 27 percent of Marylanders viewed redistricting as a “high priority” issue, and opinions were divided among those who were familiar with the proposal to redraw the state’s congressional lines. About 47 percent of those familiar with the proposal said it “should not be done” or was “the wrong thing to do,” and 45 percent said redistricting was “necessary” or the state “should do it.”
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