Marylanders for Joe Getty
December 29, 2011
Sen. Joe Getty will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 4, to discuss with constituents the status of federal, state and local redistricting that is occurring this year. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at 7 p.m. at J&P Pizza, 903 S. Main St., in Hampstead.
Major changes were proposed by Gov. Martin O'Malley for Carroll County and northern Baltimore County in the alignment of both congressional districts and state legislative districts. Getty will begin the meeting with an update of these maps illustrated through a power-point presentation.
Getty will also discuss recent developments including the decision released last Friday by the three-judge panel considering the challenge in federal court over the state's congressional redistricting plan that was adopted by the Maryland General Assembly in October. The judges upheld the plan of Gov. O'Malley which moved Carroll County out of the 6thCong. District.
Carroll County will now be split between Cong. District 1 and 8. Hampstead and Manchester will be part of a northern and eastern portion of Carroll County that will share a district with the entire Eastern Shore. The remainder of Carroll County and a large portion of Frederick County is moved into Cong. District 8 which is primarily in Montgomery County.
In upholding the congressional redistricting plan, the federal court determined that the changes to Maryland's districts were done for the purpose of gaining a Demcratic partisan advantage. For example, the removal of 100% of Carroll County from the 6thCong. Dist. was clearly part of a design to dilute conservative voters of the existing district and create an opportunity for a Democratic candidate to win in the newly-configured district.
However, the court held that the Supreme Court has not provided a basis for lower courts to overturn state plans based upon "partisan gerrymandering." In a concurring opinion, Judge Roger Titus of the federal three-judge panel wrote: "it is clear that the plan adopted by the General Assembly of Maryland is, by any reasonable standard, a blatant political gerrymander. If the claim had been pressed by the Plaintiffs and an acceptable standard existed for judging it, I would not have hesitated to strike down the Maryland plan."
Getty will also outline how Gov. O'Malley's redistricting plan that provides for realignment of Maryland's 47 Senate districts and 141 member of the House of Delegates will affect local residents. A hearing was held in Annapolis last Thursday on the state map recommended by the Governor's Redistricting Advisory Committee.
The final plan will be introduced by Gov. O'Malley on the opening day of the General Assembly session on January 11, 2012. The plan becomes law 45 days later unless the Senate and House adopt a different redistricting plan.
Finally, Getty will also discuss the recommendations by the committee that has prepared a report on the 5 districts for Carroll County Commissioners.
[20111229 Getty Upcoming Town Hall Meeting Jan 4 Hampstead]
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