Following the 2020 Presidential Election – and in the midst of a global pandemic, decennial redistricting, increased mobilization of white supremacists, and threats to our democracy, civil rights and civil liberties – many Marylanders exercised their right to vote in the 2022 Midterm Election.
Throughout 2022, the ACLU of Maryland and our partners worked tirelessly to ensure an accessible and secure election season for Maryland voters. In the General Election, over 382,000 Marylanders voted at early voting polling locations, and 541,000 voted by mail. In addition, over a million voters cast their ballot on Election Day. A central part of the ACLU of Maryland’s work is to dismantle white supremacy and its systems that intentionally marginalize the needs and vision of people most impacted by injustice.
The ACLU of Maryland centers this mission in our everyday work, including during election seasons.
This report was created and edited by Warren Small and Amy Cruice.
This ACLU research report, "License to Abuse: How ICE’s 287(g) Program Empowers Racist Sheriffs and Civil Rights Violations," examines the records of sheriff offices and other law enforcement agencies that participate in Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) 287(g) program.
This comprehensive review revealed that racial profiling, poor jail conditions and other civil rights violations are widespread among the 142 state and local law enforcement agencies ICE describes as participants in the 287(g) program as of April 2022.
With strong recommendations for federal, state and local governments, this report investigates the unjust impacts of the 287(g) program and ways for the government to remedy the harm.
The report is a product of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The principal author is Naureen Shah, Senior Legislative Counsel and Advisor at the National Political Advocacy Department (NPAD). Additional authors and researchers include Brian Tashman, Deputy Director at NPAD, Equality Division, and Kyle Berlin, NPAD postgraduate intern.
Establishing fair voting districts will aid in pandemic recovery and build a foundation for voting rights expansion in Maryland.
Maryland continues to face the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and is in the midst of redistricting across the state, to redraw voting lines after the release of the 2020 U.S. Census.
Maryland must prioritize drawing voting lines at the congressional, state, and local levels that reflect the increased population of Black, Latinx, and other Voters of Color and provide an opportunity for fair representation and compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
This compliance will ensure an expedited pandemic recovery for the state and construct the foundation for additional legislative action to expand voting access, increase funding for and create a robust, accessible electoral system.
Date
Friday, October 22, 2021 - 2:45pm
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NAACP and ACLU-MD proposed redistricting plan for Baltimore County. Maps show the whole county with seven districts, and a detail map with two majority-Black districts.
