BALTIMORE COUNTY - With blatant disregard for the Voting Rights Act (VRA), the Baltimore County Council has introduced Bill 55-25, a redistricting plan that violates the law, ignores public input, and discards the work of its own Redistricting Commission.
The Commission, which was tasked with recommending a redistricting plan for the new nine districts, held four public hearings, met regularly from January through June, consulted with national redistricting experts, and released a final report grounded in legal standards and community consensus. Yet the County Council has chosen to cast aside this transparent, community-led process in favor of a radically different and deeply unjust map that entrenches white political power.
Rather than ensuring fair and equal representation, Bill 55-25 egregiously packs Black voters into just two districts while preserving seven solidly white-majority districts—a textbook example of racial gerrymandering designed to dilute Black political power. The plan also refuses to establish a BIPOC coalition district on the east side, blatantly ignoring both the Commission’s recommendations and the clear demands of the communities most impacted.
We are conducting a full expert analysis of the proposal, but one fact is already undeniable: Bill 55-25 would illegally strip Communities of Color of their right to equal representation, in clear defiance of the Voting Rights Act.
We have already begun hearing from BIPOC residents from across Baltimore County who are rightfully alarmed that their voices are being silenced and their interests pushed to the margins. We stand with these communities and commit to continuing to work alongside them to ensure that every resident, regardless of race, has a fair and equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
Redistricting is not just a political process—it is a civil rights issue. We call on the County to reject Bill 55-25 and to produce a map that complies with the Voting Rights Act, one that accurately reflects the true diversity and democratic values of our community.
We urge all residents to speak out, get involved, and demand a redistricting plan that protects equal voting rights for all.
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