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Yesterday, Monday, July 2nd, MDPetitions.com and supporters of the petition drive held a press conference at Lawyer’s Mall in Annapolis to discuss Saturday’s turn in and next steps.

On Saturday night at 11:44 PM MDPetitions.com turned in 36,267 additional signatures to take Maryland’s Gerrymandered Congressional Redistricting Map to Referendum.  The total number of signatures turned in was 65,722.  The Board of Elections requires 55,736 validated signatures to bring congressional districting map to referendum.

In a press conference today, Delegate Neil Parrott indicated that “The citizens of Maryland have spoken, now is the time to let the people vote.  With the number of signatures that were turned in on Friday, I am optimistic that the Board of Elections will certify the results and that Marylanders will be able to have a chance to vote on the congressional redistricting map in November’s election.” 

Radamase Cabrera, with the Fannie Lou Hamer PAC, indicated that “While I am disappointed in the Federal Courts decision, the Fannie Lou Hamer PAC is 100% behind the effort to overturn the gerrymandered congressional map through the referendum effort.”

Tony Campbell with the Marylanders for Coherent & Fair Representation, Inc. indicated that, “the map clearly doesn’t make any sense.”  He talked about how the people have spoken and that now he looks forward to seeing the congressional districting map on the ballot.

National groups have indicated that Maryland has three of the of the worst 10 gerrymandered maps in the country.  Since Maryland only has 8 districts total and three of them are ranked in the top 10 worst districts of 435 districts, this makes Maryland’s map one of, if not, the most gerrymandered map in the country.  

The numbers turned in throughout the referendum campaign are noted below by each Maryland county and the City of Baltimore.