Maryland Redistricting Referendum, Question 5 (2012)

Redistricting Referendum
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Type:	Veto referendum
Referred by:	Citizens
Topic:	Redistricting
Status:	a

A Redistricting Referendum was on the November 6, 2012 ballot in the state of Maryland as a veto referendum, where it was approved. The referendum upheld Maryland's congressional redistricting plan. Maryland Delegate Justin Ready announced on March 27, 2012, that the referendum would move forward with collecting signatures. Maryland Petitions led the effort to place the veto referendum on the ballot.

Election results

See also: 2012 ballot measure election results

Maryland Question 5
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		1,549,511	64.1%
No		869,568	33.9%

Official results from the Maryland Secretary of State.

Text of measure

The ballot measure read as follows:

Question 5
Referendum Petition
Congressional Districting Plan (Ch. 1 of the 2011 Special Session)

Establishes the boundaries for the State’s eight United States Congressional Districts based on recent census figures, as required by the United States Constitution.

For the Referred Law
Against the Referred Law

Support

No formal support was identified.

Opposition

The following is information obtained from the side opposing the current redistricting map and, therefore, campaigning in favor of a 'No' vote on the referendum.

• According to Del. Justin Ready, who spearheaded the referendum: "I am proud to stand in support of this push to bring the congressional redistricting map to referendum so the people of Maryland can decide. The map, which passed in October, takes Carroll County out of its traditional pairing with Western Maryland and splits us into two congressional districts. So, Taneytown is in the same district as Ocean City and Westminster is connected to Silver Spring in a district that is shaped like the country of Thailand."

• Opponents point out that Azavea, an independent geospatial map-making firm, ranked Maryland the least compact state in the nation in terms of congressional districts. They said this meant that communities and neighborhoods of interest have been divided for political gain resulting the voting power of these communities being diluted.

Media editorial positions

See also: Endorsements of Maryland ballot measures, 2012

Opposition

• The Washington Post said, "Brazenly partisan redistricting leads to non-competitive elections whose winners need never fear a plausible challenge from the opposing party. The result is a Congress stuffed with incumbents who, lacking any incentive to compromise, provide the building blocks for political paralysis."

Path to the ballot

See also: Maryland signature requirements

For a referendum on a statewide law: signatures must equal 3% of votes cast for governor in the most recent election.

Therefore, in order to qualify for the 2012 ballot supporters were required to collect a minimum of 55,736 valid signatures and submit them by June 30.

According to reports, supporters submitted 65,722 signatures by by the deadline. On July 20 the state Board of Elections announced that it had verified 59,201 signatures and had certified the referendum for the ballot.

See also

• 2012 ballot measures
• Maryland 2012 ballot measures
• Maryland Legislature
• List of Maryland ballot measures
• Redistricting in Maryland

External links

• MDPetitions.com (opposition)