Fairly drawn election districts are an essential step in Making Democracy Work

ANNAPOLIS - Today the League of Women Voters of Maryland joined as amici on a brief filed with the United States Supreme Court challenging the practice of drawing district lines to favor a political party as unconstitutional and stressing the importance of representative districts as a measure of a healthy democracy.

"For far too long we have seen politicians of both parties draw election maps that protect themselves rather than reflect the interests of the voters,” said Elaine Apter, Co-President of LWVMD. “We are encouraged that later this month the Supreme Court will review the impact partisan gerrymandering has on the voters in Maryland, who have been drawn into districts that limit their voice. It is time to end this practice and create fair maps that put the power back in the hands of the American voters."

The brief prepared by the law firm of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, addresses the consolidated cases of Rucho v. League of Women Voters of North Carolina and Rucho v. Common Cause, a Republican Gerrymander in North Carolina, alongside a companion case, Lamone v. Benisek, the gerrymander designed by Maryland Democrats.

Apter noted that a Supreme Court action to set rules on how election districts should be drawn could ensure fair district maps in Maryland going forward.

"The Maryland League has made redistricting our number one legislative priority," said Richard Willson, Co-President of LWVMD. "Each Marylanders’ vote should count equally, as the drafters of the Declaration of Independence intended. Gerrymanders are bad regardless of whether it’s done by Republican or Democrats."

The League believes that maps should also be drawn without regard to the political affiliation of voters and looks forward to the decision from courts on these important cases.