For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 9, 2021
ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 9, 2021—The first meeting of the Commission on Redistricting will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 10 from 5 to 6 p.m. and will be livestreamed on the Montgomery County Council's Facebook page.
The Commission on Redistricting was established after the approval of 11 appointed members by the County Council on Jan. 26. In the 2020 general election, the Montgomery County Charter was amended by the voters to require the County to be divided into seven Council districts to elect seven district and four at-large members of the Council. The Charter required that the Council appoint a Commission on Redistricting composed of 11 registered voters who reside in the County.
As stated in its Charter requirements, the Commission must, at its first meeting, select one of its members to serve as its chair. The Council selected Arthur Edmunds to serve as interim chair and Mariana Cordier to serve as interim vice-chair of the Commission until the group votes to select a permanent chair and vice-chair.
The first meeting of the Commission on Redistricting will begin with introductions of the Commission's members and staff, followed by the election of the chair and vice-chair. Once decided, the Commission will decide on meeting dates and times for 2021, and receive an update of existing available census data. Future meeting topics will be discussed as well. A few tentative topics include: a review of the process and outcome of the 2011 Redistricting Report, a presentation by the County Attorney on legal requirements for redistricting, a meeting with the Board of Elections about its role and responsibilities, and a meeting with staff from the County's Planning Department on software and data analysis.
The Commission is required to present a plan of Council districts by November 15, 2021, together with a report explaining the plan to the Council. However, the Council will work with the Commission to expedite the completion of its work to allow for early notice of the new districts for potential candidates.
Within 30 days after receiving the plan, the Council will hold a public hearing on the report plan. If within 90 days after presentation of the Commission’s plan no other law reestablishing the boundaries of the Council districts has been enacted, then the plan, as submitted, becomes law.
As stated in its Charter, the Commission must include at least one, but no more than four, members of each political party, which polled at least 15 percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for the Council in the last preceding regular election. As a result of the 2018 General Election, there are two parties recognized by the State of Maryland: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. At least one member of the Commission must reside in each Council district. No person who holds any elected office shall be eligible for appointment to the Commission.
The Council appointed the following community members to serve on the Commission on Redistricting: Imad Aldean Ahmad, Laura Ard, Mariana Cordier, Keshia Desir, Arthur Edmunds, Valerie Ervin, Bruce Goldensohn, Jason Makstein, Nilmini Rubin, Samuel Statland, and David Stein.
Residents can view the meeting on the Council's Facebook page (@MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil).
Information about the members of the Commission selected by the Council can be found here.
The Council staff report and resolution for appointment of the Commission can be found here.
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Release ID: 21-049