US House Redistricting: Maryland

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Historical Maryland districts are available here.

Here's MD-03 from the 90s:

[they don't love you like i love you]

I think the Democrats just made it as ugly as possible so Ehlrich would have nowhere to flee. It  might've backfired on them a bit once he was elected Governor, but they ousted him four years later and still hold it, so I doubt they mind too much.

The fact that Baltimore County has three of the reps when it only has the population for one district and they all live so close is interesting but also largely by accident, MD-01 was obviously not designed to be a Baltimore County district and MD-03 once Cardin left could've just as easily elected someone from Howard County or Annapolis.

[minionofmidas]

Wow, that second district was fairly bizarre already. Who drew that map? Bipartisan incumbent protection gerry (with Morella non-gerrymandered since hers was a special case)?

[JohnnyLongtorso]

I believe it was drawn by William Donald Schaefer, who used the map to screw over his political enemies (regardless of party) and give out favors to friends.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I believe it was drawn by William Donald Schaefer, who used the map to screw over his political enemies (regardless of party) and give out favors to friends.

Ah, yeah. What a guy.

[Linus Van Pelt]

The other interesting thing from JohnnyLongtorso's link is that MD-7 in 1990 was 70+% Black, which would obviously not happen with the kind of "unpacking" in vogue today.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

DKE has the Obama/McCain numbers on the new districts:

MD-01 - 59.6 McCain, 38.4 Obama
MD-02 - 60.6 Obama, 37.5 McCain
MD-03 - 60.1 Obama, 38.0 McCain
MD-04 - 77.3 Obama, 21.8 McCain
MD-05 - 65.1 Obama, 33.6 McCain
MD-06 - 56.3 Obama, 42.0 McCain
MD-07 - 76.2 Obama, 22.4 McCain
MD-08 - 62.8 Obama, 35.6 McCain

[Brittain33]

The other interesting thing from JohnnyLongtorso's link is that MD-7 in 1990 was 70+% Black, which would obviously not happen with the kind of "unpacking" in vogue today.

A good question would be what the breakdown was in 1982.

[redcommander]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

[Brittain33]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

[krazen1211]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Presumably Ohio style referendum business.


The referendum petition against an Act or part of an Act passed by the General Assembly, shall be sufficient if signed by three percent of the qualified voters of the State of Maryland, calculated upon the whole number of votes cast for Governor at the last preceding Gubernatorial election, of whom not more than half are residents of Baltimore City, or of any one County. However, any Public Local Law for any one County or the City of Baltimore, shall be referred by the Secretary of State only to the people of the County or City of Baltimore, upon a referendum petition of ten percent of the qualified voters of the County or City of Baltimore, as the case may be, calculated upon the whole number of votes cast respectively for Governor at the last preceding Gubernatorial election.

[Brittain33]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Presumably Ohio style referendum business.

He asked about a lawsuit...

[Skill and Chance]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Didn't the Democrats pass the maps with 2/3rds?  That would be sufficient to avoid a referendum in Ohio.  I don't know if Maryland's law is the same.  If it is, they have 2/3rds and can just pass the maps again with some minor changes to appease the nth legislator (who would be a Democrat).
Presumably Ohio style referendum business.


The referendum petition against an Act or part of an Act passed by the General Assembly, shall be sufficient if signed by three percent of the qualified voters of the State of Maryland, calculated upon the whole number of votes cast for Governor at the last preceding Gubernatorial election, of whom not more than half are residents of Baltimore City, or of any one County. However, any Public Local Law for any one County or the City of Baltimore, shall be referred by the Secretary of State only to the people of the County or City of Baltimore, upon a referendum petition of ten percent of the qualified voters of the County or City of Baltimore, as the case may be, calculated upon the whole number of votes cast respectively for Governor at the last preceding Gubernatorial election.

[nclib]

BTW, what made MD-2 and MD-3 (marginally) more Democratic?

[Skill and Chance]

BTW, what made MD-2 and MD-3 (marginally) more Democratic?

For MD-03, it was really liberal parts of Montgomery County.  For MD-02, the new MD-01 soaked up more McCain voters to the north and east.

They really should have done 60.8% Obama in MD-08 and 58.3% Obama in MD-06, though, given how ugly they made things already!

[redcommander]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

[they don't love you like i love you]

It wasn't racial gerrymandering, just standard partisan gerrymandering, drawing another black district isn't possible without actual racial gerrymandering and groups are never "entitled" to a seat under the law.

[timothyinMD]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

Maryland's congressional map absolutely should be thrown out, but not because of any racial gerrymandering bull crap.

It should be tossed because it is so egregiously gerrymandered.  Worst map of the whole cycle

[minionofmidas]

Alas, that sadly is not a legally valid argument.

[Skill and Chance]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

Maryland's congressional map absolutely should be thrown out, but not because of any racial gerrymandering bull crap.

It should be tossed because it is so egregiously gerrymandered.  Worst map of the whole cycle

Umm, are you forgetting NC-04 and NC-12?  As far as I can tell, MD doesn't use any touch-point contiguity.  Several of the NC districts do.  NC and OH balance out MD and IL in terms of ugliness (in IL, you could even argue from the Obama numbers that a fair map should have 11-12 Democrats).  Both parties do it when they can.   

[Torie]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

Maryland's congressional map absolutely should be thrown out, but not because of any racial gerrymandering bull crap.

It should be tossed because it is so egregiously gerrymandered.  Worst map of the whole cycle

And I bet the Dem controlled League of Women Voters is not complaining about the MD map either. They only like to bitch about Pubbie gerrymanders.

[Skill and Chance]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

And I bet the Dem controlled League of Women Voters is not complaining about the MD map either. They only like to bitch about Pubbie gerrymanders.

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

Maryland's congressional map absolutely should be thrown out, but not because of any racial gerrymandering bull crap.

It should be tossed because it is so egregiously gerrymandered.  Worst map of the whole cycle

I can't speak for the League of Women Voters, but a bunch of traditionally Democratic civil rights organizations are parties to the suit to force a 2nd Hispanic opportunity district in Illinois.  That's a pretty strong response to the hypocrisy arguments.

[timothyinMD]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

Maryland's congressional map absolutely should be thrown out, but not because of any racial gerrymandering bull crap.

It should be tossed because it is so egregiously gerrymandered.  Worst map of the whole cycle

Umm, are you forgetting NC-04 and NC-12?  As far as I can tell, MD doesn't use any touch-point contiguity.  Several of the NC districts do.  NC and OH balance out MD and IL in terms of ugliness (in IL, you could even argue from the Obama numbers that a fair map should have 11-12 Democrats).  Both parties do it when they can.    

Democrats created snake-like NC 12

MD doesn't use "touch point contiguity,"  it uses "no point contiguity."   Are you f---ing blind?

Districts 2 and 3. Hello?

[traininthedistance]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

Maryland's congressional map absolutely should be thrown out, but not because of any racial gerrymandering bull crap.

It should be tossed because it is so egregiously gerrymandered.  Worst map of the whole cycle

Umm, are you forgetting NC-04 and NC-12?  As far as I can tell, MD doesn't use any touch-point contiguity.  Several of the NC districts do.  NC and OH balance out MD and IL in terms of ugliness (in IL, you could even argue from the Obama numbers that a fair map should have 11-12 Democrats).  Both parties do it when they can.    

Democrats created snake-like NC 12

MD doesn't use "touch point contiguity,"  it uses "no point contiguity."   Are you f---ing blind?

Districts 2 and 3. Hello?

The sad thing is the Dems could have created an quite clean 7-1 map were it not for Ruppersburger and Sarbanes insisting on keeping their inconvenient residences.  Basically, eliminate the snaky arm into Towson for Sarbanes and give him a compact HoCo-Annapolis district instead.

[timothyinMD]

Does anyone know how the lawsuit is going to overturn the maps? I heard Republicans had a good shot of getting them thrown out.

On what basis?

Blatant racial gerrymandering so Democrats could pick up Bartlett's district. Census numbers entitled another minority majority district in the state.

Maryland's congressional map absolutely should be thrown out, but not because of any racial gerrymandering bull crap.

It should be tossed because it is so egregiously gerrymandered.  Worst map of the whole cycle

Umm, are you forgetting NC-04 and NC-12?  As far as I can tell, MD doesn't use any touch-point contiguity.  Several of the NC districts do.  NC and OH balance out MD and IL in terms of ugliness (in IL, you could even argue from the Obama numbers that a fair map should have 11-12 Democrats).  Both parties do it when they can.    

Democrats created snake-like NC 12

MD doesn't use "touch point contiguity,"  it uses "no point contiguity."   Are you f---ing blind?

Districts 2 and 3. Hello?

The sad thing is the Dems could have created an quite clean 7-1 map were it not for Ruppersburger and Sarbanes insisting on keeping their inconvenient residences.  Basically, eliminate the snaky arm into Towson for Sarbanes and give him a compact HoCo-Annapolis district instead.

The sad thing is that Democrats ripped the state to shreds.

And spare me the outrage over Texas, Ohio and North Carolina.  I have disparaged those maps just as much and posted my clean, much better alternatives to all of those on their respective threads.