ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 12, 2022)—Fair Maps Maryland, a nonpartisan grassroots organization, today released the following statement calling on the General Assembly to end Maryland’s shameful history of voter suppression and to pass the fair and legal map drafted by the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission:
“The ability for state legislators to draw their own districts and pick their own voters brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, ‘fox in the henhouse,’” said Fair Maps Maryland spokesman Doug Mayer. “On this opening day of the session, Maryland legislators have one last chance to finally do what is right and end the illegal and unethical gerrymandering of their own legislative districts.
“Governor Hogan has done everything in his power to bring free and fair elections to Maryland and unfortunately, the legislature has done everything in its power to prevent that from happening. Not only did legislative leadership draw these maps with direct input from other legislators, but they are willingly and knowingly suppressing the votes of their own friends and neighbors. This needs to end, not just in our state, but across the country, and Maryland has an opportunity to show the rest of the nation what real leadership looks like.
“Marylanders have spoken loud and clear on this issue and it’s well past time for the General Assembly to listen and pass the legislative map created by the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission. If they fail to do the right thing, our organization is more than prepared to take further legal action against maps that disenfranchise Marylanders and their constitutionally protected right to vote.”