The co-chairs of the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission announced the remaining six members. In January, Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order establishing the nine member Commission, which is charged with drawing fair and representative legislative and congressional maps for the 2022 elections that are compact and respect natural and subdivision boundaries to the extent practicable, and without accounting for political parties.
Throughout his time in office, Hogan has led the charge for redistricting reform in Maryland and nationwide. The three co-chairs, announced earlier this year, are:
- Kate Hetherington, president, Howard Community College
- Walter Olson, senior fellow, Cato Institute Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies
- Judge Alexander Williams, Jr., retired judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
The six additional members were selected from the hundreds of applications that were submitted, and consist of two Republicans, two Democrats and two independents. They are:
- Kimberly Rose Cummings (R)
- Mary Clawson (R)
- Cheryl Brooks (D)
- William Tipper Thomas, III (D)
- Jay Amin (I)
- Jonathan Fusfield (I)
The governor’s executive order charges the commission with producing fair maps for both state legislative and congressional districts that comply with a set of criteria, including:
Compliance with the U.S. Constitution and Voting Rights Act of 1965, and compliance with applicable judicial direction, rulings, judgments, and orders;
- Respect for natural boundaries and geographic integrity and continuity of political subdivisions, to the extent practicable;
- Geographic compactness, to the extent practicable; and
- Does not take into account citizens’ party affiliation or the address of an incumbent office holder or a candidate for office
The historic Commission will conduct regional meetings to allow citizens to offer comment on the boundaries of congressional and legislative districts, along with multiple public meetings, prior to the drawing of the maps.