Blog Post
2025 Legislative Review
The Maryland General Assembly adjourned on Monday, April 7, ending the 447th legislative session. Learn about the progress made over the 90 days.
Blog Post
Maryland Voting Rights Act: Key to Fair Redistricting in Baltimore County
Passing the Maryland Voting Rights Act is a key next step in the fight for fair districts in Baltimore County.
This September, the Baltimore County Council adopted a racially gerrymandered County Council map against their constituents’ will. The council adopted their secret map over the 2025 Redistricting Commission’s proposed map, which would have better represented Baltimore County’s diverse communities and had significant public input.
The move was a slap in the face to Baltimore County residents who have worked for years to expand the size of the council in hopes that they would finally get the representation that they deserve.
Many people are rightfully upset, frustrated, and losing faith in the process. The Baltimore County Council failed us, and now, it’s time to hold them accountable.
Common Cause Maryland is assessing all options on the table, but the need for one option is clear: pass the Maryland Voting Rights Act.
Our vote is our voice, and we need our voice now more than ever before. The Maryland Voting Rights Act will ensure all voters are able to cast meaningful ballots and participate freely and fairly in our democratic process.
By passing a gerrymandered map, the Baltimore County Council demonstrated they will do everything they can to break up our communities of color to limit their political power. That’s why we need protections at the ballot box, to ensure that despite this gerrymandered map, Black and brown voters can still have their voices heard. We need to make sure we can still hold our council members accountable for betraying our trust and our interests. We need the Maryland Voting Rights Act (MDVRA) now.
The MDVRA would ban racial vote dilution, which happens when an election system or other policies deny voters of color an equal opportunity to elect candidates they support. This means voters of color can cast ballots, but their votes don’t have equal power to elect the candidates their communities support. This is exactly what happened in Baltimore County.
We won’t let this frustrating setback silence our voices and our power. Join Common Cause Maryland in the fight to pass the Maryland Voting Rights Act and ensure fair districts in Baltimore County.
Learn more about the Maryland Voting Rights Act here.
Updates
Blog Post
5 Reasons to Pass the Maryland Voting Rights Act Now
We know state legislators have a lot on their plates this session but defending our freedom to vote — the foundation of our democracy —must be a top priority.
Blog Post
2025 Legislative Priorities
There’s a lot of uncertainty ahead – for our country, our democracy, and our rights. But here’s one thing we know for sure – we must immediately prepare to push back against Trump's anti-democracy agenda. In Maryland, that means doubling down on our efforts to build a more equitable and inclusive democracy while opposing any actions that go against those values. Also supporting our allies in their efforts to defend against attacks on vulnerable communities: immigrants, women, LGBTQ people and everyone who makes up the multi-racial,...