The General Assembly passed the congressional redistricting plan drafted by the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission (LRAC) on Wednesday only to have it vetoed by the Governor the following day. Governor Hogan held a press conference at 2:15 p.m. on Thursday where he vetoed the LRAC redistricting plan. The Governor’s veto was expected, according to Maryland Matters.
Hogan’s veto was not a surprise. The governor had promised to oppose any redistricting proposal that differed from the one put forward by his Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission, a panel that included three Republicans, three Democrats and three unaffiliated voters. Hogan appointed the three co-chairs of that commission.
The General Assembly quickly overrode the Governor’s veto roughly an hour and a half later. The debate over the congressional maps will continue with possible litigation following suit.
Fair Maps Maryland, an organization with ties to Hogan, announced plans for a lawsuit challenging the congressional redistricting plan just moments after the state Senate approved it Wednesday evening.
The Governor issued a press release on Thursday addressing his veto.
Governor Larry Hogan today vetoed the antidemocratic, gerrymandered congressional map passed along party lines by the Maryland General Assembly, and called on the Biden administration to immediately add the State of Maryland to its lawsuit against Texas for violations of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The governor also continued urging lawmakers to take action on emergency crime legislation during the special session.
“The congressional map drawn in back rooms by party bosses in Annapolis makes a mockery of our democracy, and it is an embarrassment to all that our state stands for,” said Governor Hogan. “On behalf of all the people of Maryland who value fairness and integrity in our elections and in our political system, I am vetoing these disgracefully gerrymandered, illegal maps, which are a shameful violation of state and federal law.”
Democrats in the legislature offered support for the LRAC congressional map. Senate President Pro Tem Melony G. Griffith, a member of the LRAC, told the Senate that “the commission was “very mindful” of complying with the Voting Rights Act.” Senate Majority Leader Nancy J. King said Wednesday that she is confident that the map is fair and representative of the “lived experience of Marylanders.”
The General Assembly will work on state legislative redistricting maps when it returns in January for the regular session. The MCRC has released its proposal for the legislative redistricting plan and the LRAC will eventually submit one as well.
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