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Maryland House of Delegates elections, 2014
 Maryland's 2014 elections: • U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Other executive offices • State Senate • State House |
Maryland's state representatives will be held in Maryland on November 4, 2014.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Heading into the November 4 election, the Democratic Party holds the majority in the Maryland House of Delegates:
Qualifications
Section 9 of Article 3 of the Maryland Constitution states, "A person is eligible to serve as a Senator or Delegate, who on the date of his election, (1) is a citizen of the State of Maryland, (2) has resided therein for at least one year next preceding that date, and (3) if the district which he has been chosen to represent has been established for at least six months prior to the date of his election, has resided in that district for six months next preceding that date.
If the district which the person has been chosen to represent has been established less than six months prior to the date of his election, then in addition to (1) and (2) above, he shall have resided in the district for as long as it has been established.
A person is eligible to serve as a Senator, if he has attained the age of twenty-five years, or as a Delegate, if he has attained the age of twenty-one years, on the date of his election."
Impact of redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Maryland
Between 2000 and 2010 Maryland's population grew by 9 percent, just below the national average. Baltimore saw its power decrease as it shrank by some 30,000 residents. For legislative redistricting, the Governor is responsible for drafting plans and submitting the new maps to the General Assembly. The Governor appoints an advisory commission to assist in this task. Under the state Constitution, each district is required to have one Senator and three Delegates.
The Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee released a proposed map of new legislative districts on December 16, 2011, increasing the number of majority black districts from 10 to 12. Democrats voiced support for the plan, while Republicans criticized it for being divisive and highly partisan. The Fannie Lou Hamer Political Action Committee, a black activist group, threatened to sue the state if the map was approved by the legislature, arguing that the plan violated the federal Voting Rights Act by purposely reducing black influence and violated state laws by splitting more boundaries and counties than was necessary.[1]
In the end the legislature decided on inaction, letting the governor's plan become law on February 24, 2012 without taking a vote. A number of alternative maps were proposed in the House, but none of them received committee hearings.[2]
See also
References
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