News & Commentary
ACLU of Maryland's Top 3 Priorities During the Coronavirus Pandemic
The safety and rights of all Marylanders must matter to all of us.
How Marylanders are Making a Difference: Lobby Day 2020
Over a hundred people from across the state attended this year’s Lobby Day and demanded action from their state legislators. From Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, our members demonstrated that one way to make an impact in your community — and our state capital — is through advocating in person by meeting with your elected officials.
On Broken Voting Systems
One of the biggest threats to our democracy is rooted in our mass incarceration crisis. Our nation has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and Maryland disgracefully leads the nation with the highest percentage of racial disparities in our prisons. While Black Marylanders only make up 31% of the overall state population, they represent 52% of people in jail and 69% of people in prison.1 There are serious and continuing problems of over-policing in Black neighborhoods and biased sentencing laws. These racist policies have a devasting effect on the political power of Black Americans.
Because Incarcerated People Matter: ACLU-MD Concerns with the 2020 Census Proposal
By Michael Abrams
Montgomery County: Lead the way on public campaign financing
Unfortunately, money, not political support, can determine who runs for office. Oftentimes potential candidates are unable to run because they cannot collect the requisite financial support to run a viable campaign. This not only deprives the public of the full range of public debate, it also prevents members of historically marginalized communities from participating in the political process.
Voter Hotline for Primary and General Election: 1-888-496-ACLU
In a statewide effort to educate voters about their rights and solve problems at the polls, the ACLU of Maryland has launched our 2014 Election Protection Campaign. As the group has done for the last five statewide and presidential elections, the ACLU will hold a hotline (1-888-496-ACLU) for Maryland voters for the Primary (June 24) and General Election Day (November 4). In addition, the ACLU is offering Maryland Voter Empowerment Cards in English and Spanish.
By Amy Cruice, Meredith Curtis Goode
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