Maryland governor creates emergency commission to redraw congressional district map News
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Maryland governor creates emergency commission to redraw congressional district map

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed an executive order on Monday to create an emergency commission tasked with redrawing the state’s congressional district map.

Earlier this month a three-judge panel for the District Court of Maryland ruled that the 2011 redrawing after the 2010 census was unconstitutionally done in a manner to favor Democrats. In the 2012 elections, Representative John Delaney ousted a 10-term Republican from the competitive sixth district. The plaintiffs argued that their First Amendment rights were violated when their voting history was used to dilute their party’s influence in the district. The district court’s ruling banned the map’s use in future elections and provided a four month deadline to resubmit a redrawn map.

Although Maryland’s Attorney General Brian Frosh plans to appeal the court’s decision and ask for an extension on the redistricting to take effect after the 2020 elections, the governor established the nine-person Emergency Commission on Sixth Congressional District Gerrymandering to comply with the court’s ruling. Hogan’s executive order calls for three appointed members including a Democrat, Republican and a non-affiliated member, along with six other positions open to the public.

Hogan’s order makes plans to introduce the final legislation during the state’s first 90-day session starting on January 9.