Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is introducing his redistricting plan proposal Monday to the City Council. The mayor’s office released a statement late Monday afternoon, saying the mayor’s is based on requirements for redistricting established in the city charter following the 2020 census, and it will address population changes, trends and new imbalances within existing council districts.The City Council has 60 days to approve or amend the map.Officials began the process by consulting with the city’s law department on the requirements of the redistricting process. Legal officials advised that the redrawn districts should have equality of population and be contiguous and compact.The city’s Planning Department provided census data to show existing disparities among council districts based on population changes since the council map was last redrawn.The mayor’s office said the proposed map ensures that each district’s population falls within the legally required range of the target mean population of 41,836.The mayor’s office said the proposed map intentionally tried to maintain current boundaries as much as possible, while meeting the requirements of the law. The mayor’s office said the proposed map balances the population, is contiguous and compact and ensures that existing council members still live in the district that they represent.| LINK: Interactive map of the Baltimore City Council redistricting proposal”The proposed map will rebalance our City Council districts to ensure equal representation for city residents,” Scott said in a statement. “Our team worked diligently for months to craft a reasonable and well-executed redistricting plan in accordance with the expectations of the law.”According to the mayor’s office there was significant population growth in Districts 1 and 11, so a portion of the population was redistributed from these districts to others.Other significant changes include: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center moved from District 1 to District 2 after it was move following the 2010 census. The mayor’s office said this change helped resolve the population issue in District 1 and added an anchor institution to District 2.Additionally, before the 2010 census redistricting, District 10 included all of the south Baltimore peninsula. This proposal adds back a portion of the peninsula to support reducing the population in District 11.The proposal comes before the Feb. 1, 2024, deadline to ensure that the final map will take effect months before the May 2024 primary election, giving candidates and the Maryland State Board of Elections time to ensure a smooth election, the mayor’s office said.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is introducing his redistricting plan proposal Monday to the City Council.
The mayor’s office released a statement late Monday afternoon, saying the mayor’s is based on requirements for redistricting established in the city charter following the 2020 census, and it will address population changes, trends and new imbalances within existing council districts.
The City Council has 60 days to approve or amend the map.
Officials began the process by consulting with the city’s law department on the requirements of the redistricting process. Legal officials advised that the redrawn districts should have equality of population and be contiguous and compact.
The city’s Planning Department provided census data to show existing disparities among council districts based on population changes since the council map was last redrawn.
The mayor’s office said the proposed map ensures that each district’s population falls within the legally required range of the target mean population of 41,836.
The mayor’s office said the proposed map intentionally tried to maintain current boundaries as much as possible, while meeting the requirements of the law. The mayor’s office said the proposed map balances the population, is contiguous and compact and ensures that existing council members still live in the district that they represent.
| LINK: Interactive map of the Baltimore City Council redistricting proposal
“The proposed map will rebalance our City Council districts to ensure equal representation for city residents,” Scott said in a statement. “Our team worked diligently for months to craft a reasonable and well-executed redistricting plan in accordance with the expectations of the law.”
According to the mayor’s office there was significant population growth in Districts 1 and 11, so a portion of the population was redistributed from these districts to others.
Other significant changes include: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center moved from District 1 to District 2 after it was move following the 2010 census. The mayor’s office said this change helped resolve the population issue in District 1 and added an anchor institution to District 2.
Additionally, before the 2010 census redistricting, District 10 included all of the south Baltimore peninsula. This proposal adds back a portion of the peninsula to support reducing the population in District 11.
The proposal comes before the Feb. 1, 2024, deadline to ensure that the final map will take effect months before the May 2024 primary election, giving candidates and the Maryland State Board of Elections time to ensure a smooth election, the mayor’s office said.
