Baltimore, MD – Baltimore County Council voted to adopt a racially gerrymandered County Council map with extremely limited public input. The Council adopted their secret map over one proposed by the 2025 Redistricting Commission, which would have better represented Baltimore County residents and had significant public input. 

“Baltimore County residents have worked for years to expand the size of the council in hopes that they would finally get the representation that they need. But the council failed them. They ignored an opportunity to pass a map with four majority-minority districts, which would give Black and brown communities the equal representation they deserve. It’s disgraceful the council chose to put their political interests before their constituents,” said Joanne Antoine, Common Cause’s Maryland Director.  

Councilmember Pat Young tried to introduce the redistricting commission map as an amendment, but the council rejected the amendment.

Common Cause Maryland and democracy partners emphasized the final map adopted by the council doesn’t comply with the Voting Rights Act, and they will take legal action to ensure fair districts for Baltimore County.  

Advocates also pushed back against claims by the council that public campaign financing alone would result in greater representation for minority communities.  

“While public campaign financing systems do help open the doors for diverse candidates to run for office, they’re not the only solution. These programs work best when the districts these candidates run in are drawn fairly,” said Antoine.  

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