Possible Redistricting Would Affect Parts of Severna Park
Some areas around Severna Park may be moved out of the 1st District into the 4th District that is mostly in Prince George's County.
Pdfs
Maryland redistricts every 10 years, using U.S. Census population data to redraw electoral districts and boundary lines based on changes in population, and the growth in Anne Arundel County calls for some changes.
Parts of Severna Park, Broadneck, Pasadena, Edgewater and Crofton may all find themselves in different congressional districts if a plan proposed by the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee (GRAC) is approved.
The plan moves the Broadneck peninsula and parts of Severna Park from the mostly Republican District 1, consisting of nine Eastern Shore counties represented by Rep. Andy Harris (R) to the mostly Democrat District 4, represented by Rep. Donna Edwards (D).
The plan also splits Pasadena between District 4 and District 3, represented by Rep. John Sarbanes (D).
A redrawn congressional map released Tuesday reveals the county will be split among four districts and moves the Broadneck peninsula out of the 1st District into the 4th District. The proposed redistricting plan for the 4th District connects the communities of central and upper Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties.
The thought process behind the proposed changes to the 1st District was to keep it from extending from the rural Eastern Shore across the Chesapeake Bay into the more "urban areas" of Anne Arundel County.
The proposed plan by the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee states that around 70 percent of Maryland residents will stay in their current congressional district. In addition, the proposal does not move any incumbent congressman out of his or her district.
"The map we are submitting today conforms with State and federal law and incorporates the 331 comments we received from the public during our 12 regional hearings around the State," said Secretary Jeanne Hitchcock, chair of the Advisory Committee in a release. "We have developed a plan that reflects the population shifts, demographics and strengths of our State."
Public hearings were held leading up to the release of the proposed plan. (The county meeting was to be held at Anne Arundel Community College on Aug. 30 but was moved to Annapolis when the college was closed in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene.)
The proposed plan is open for public comment until Oct. 11. Comments may be sent by email to redistricting2011@mdp.state.md.us or submitted online. A special legislative session will be held on Oct. 17 to discuss the redistricting plan.
Gov. Martin O’Malley will consider the proposed plan and will introduce his own plan to the General Assembly during its special session on Oct. 17.
See Amy Leahy's blog post on the topic of redistricting.
Trista
4:59 pm on Wednesday, October 5, 2011
This is the craziest scheme I've seen yet for gerrymandering a district. What does the watershed areas next to the Chesapeake Bay and along the Severn and Magothy Rivers have to do with the DC Metro urban areas along the DC line? It's time for Maryland to adopt a NON-PARTISAN redistrictricting committee like other states have where the commonalities of the district are considered over the partisanship. Gerrymandering districts disenfranchises voters, whether you're in a conservative state or a liberal state.
Christy Wilson
2:21 pm on Thursday, October 6, 2011
Just so I would know specifics I looked up all the maps(took two minutes) and I am livid. This proposal is criminal even if it is legal. The proposed redistricting is absolutely anything but fair or intuitive. The only reason to have chopped up and made such bizarre associations is for political gain(loss for the citizenry.) I join Trista in asking(begging) for nonpartisan redistricting committee. I called MOM's office and gave my opinion and was answered by "I'll pass on your opinions" pat answer and I replied that "I bet you will" and the woman giggled. Just like calling Sarbanes or Mikulski's office. No respect ever for Conservatives or anyone disagreeing with their stands. They do not represent us. They serve themselves first. Maybe livid is too bland a word...
Wendy
9:49 pm on Sunday, October 9, 2011
At the moment, I would rather be represented by Donna Edwards than Andy Harris so I'm not upset about who would be representing me. That said, gerrymandering districts is not good politics.
dale atkinson
2:03 pm on Monday, October 10, 2011
Dale
How interesting that the committee proposing the redistricting is ALL democrats except for Mr. King!!! This is ridiculous. We really need a Non-partisan committee for redistricting. I totally agree with Trista- what does Anne Arundel County have in common with Prince George's County??-- nothing really. We have alot more in common with counties that have watershed areas- such as Kent or Queen Anne's counties, where areas are bordered by the Severn, Magothy or Chesapeake Bay. Why couldn't each county be divided into districts?. If we are redistricting-- we have less in common with Brooklyn, Anne Arundel County than Stevensville, Queen Anne's County.
Chet Brewer
11:03 pm on Monday, October 10, 2011
looks like Maryland democrats are taking lessons from their Republican brothers in PA on how to limit any opposition congressional districts
Amy Leahy
7:03 pm on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Chet you don't seem to get it...MD is the leader in gerrymandering. Both of our U.S. Senators are Democrats and 6 of our 8 Congressmen. With this redistricting plan, the 8th district in Allegheny County - a conservative area - will be diluted with Montgomery County. In Pennsylvania, that state is represented by 1 Republican and 1 Democrat Senator, and 12 of the 19 Congressmen are Republicans. That ratio (not being a mathematician) is more like (almost) 2 to 1, not the 1 to 4 we have in Maryland. If the proposed redistricting plan is approved the 8th district will be taken by a Democrat. Now, you may not care about that - being a resident of Anne Arundel County - but if you lived in conservative Allegheny County, rest assured you would feel very upset about not having your value system represented.
Linda Zahn
9:36 pm on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
This is a poor proposal for Severna Park and the Broadneck. Basically we will have no voice with this plan....gerrymandering at its worst.
Chet Brewer
8:45 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Amy, I very clearly get it, both parties do their darnedest to get elected and if they have the power take advantage of it. Is it right nope, but it is reality. The other difference between PA and MD is that PA has more registered democrats then republicans (4.1M vs 3.1M) yet has been redistricted to yield 2:1 republican seats. Md democrats have about a 2:1 registration advantage.
So do I like what's done no, but I really don't have a good idea of how to fix it and really don't expect MD dems to behave unless their neighbors also behave. So how do we break the cycle?