In Maryland, a legislative election district, commonly called a legislative district, is a geographic area from which voters elect their representatives to the General Assembly. The State Constitution delineates the procedure by which these districts are determined (Art. III, secs. 3, 4, 5).
Procedure for Establishing Legislative Districts. The Constitution requires the Governor to initiate the legislative reapportionment process. After each U.S. decennial census and after public hearings, the Governor prepares a plan setting forth legislative district boundaries. This plan must conform to requirements of the Maryland Constitution (Art. III, secs. 2, 3, 4). The Governor presents the plan to the Senate President and the House Speaker. They, in turn, introduce the plan as a joint resolution to the General Assembly by the first day of the regular legislative session in the second year following every census. Prior to the regular session, the Governor may call a special legislative session in which to present the plan.
The General Assembly, following each decennial census, may adopt by joint resolution a legislative district boundary plan. The plan must conform to Constitutional requirements (Art. III, secs. 2, 3, 4). If the General Assembly adopts such a plan by the 45th day after the opening of the regular legislative session (in the second year following every census), that plan becomes law. If no plan has been adopted by the 45th day after the opening of the regular session, the Governor's legislative district plan becomes law.
The Constitution also provides for judicial review. Upon petition of any registered voter, the Court of Appeals may review the legislative districting of the State and may grant appropriate relief, if it finds that State districting does not conform to requirements of the federal or Maryland constitutions.
Division of Each County and Baltimore City into Legislative Districts. Legislative districts first were used for elections in 1800. From 1777 to 1799, voters found only one polling place in each county and in Baltimore City. This proved a hardship to those who lived far away. Since it was considered ". . . desirable that the full, free and fair voice of the people should be expressed in their choice of the functionaries of government," for the 1800 election, each county and Baltimore City were divided into several election districts to allow citizens a polling site nearer their place of residence (Chapter 115, Acts of 1798). The newly formed election districts were contained within the boundaries of a county or Baltimore City. Indeed, subsequent redistricting was confined to these borders until 1965, when election districts first crossed county boundary lines.
Representation by Place. Prior to statewide apportionment, legislative districts were local geographic areas. They were defined within the boundaries of individual counties or Baltimore City - Maryland's units of local government. Geographic representation gave each county, rural or suburban, an equal vote regardless of population. Place, for the most part, determined representation, certainly in the Senate. From the first popular election for senators in 1838, each county was allotted one senator. Baltimore City was granted one senator for each of its legislative districts.
Representation by Population. With the exception of Baltimore City, population had no bearing on the number of senators until 1965. Apportionment for electing delegates, however, was influenced by population, and population was to become the basis of representation. Yet, dividing each county and Baltimore City into legislative districts did not produce districts of equal population.
Division of State into Legislative Districts. To attain legislative districts of comparable population size, it became necessary to apportion not by individual counties and Baltimore City but across the entire State. In 1965, when "senatorial districts" were drawn to bring Maryland closer to the principle of "one man, one vote," some legislative districts for the the first time encompassed two or more counties' voters.
Not until 1974 did voters elect all members of the General Assembly - both delegates and senators - on the basis of equal representation by population. Legislative districts reflecting this change were formed by a statewide apportionment, instituted by a 1972 Constitutional amendment that allowed districts to encompass part of a county, parts of adjoining counties, an entire county, or more than one county. Ratified by the voters on November 7, 1972, this amendment divided Maryland into 47 districts for the election of the 47 senators and 141 delegates who constitute the 188 members of the General Assembly (Chapter 363, Acts of 1972). This first statewide apportionment for the election of both houses of the General Assembly set standards which remain today. Each district must consist of adjoining territory, be compact in form, and of equal population.
Voters in each legislative election district choose one senator to represent them in the Senate; the number of delegates representing them in the House of Delegates varies from one to two to three, depending upon how their district was subdivided. Each district may be divided into three delegate subdistricts or one multi-member delegate subdistrict (Const., Art. III, secs. 1-4). In legislative election districts that are not subdivided, voters elect three delegates to represent them in the House of Delegates. Those voters who reside in subdistricts elect either one or two delegates, depending upon how the subdistricting was done. In districts that contain more than two counties or parts of more than two counties and where the delegates are elected at large by the voters of the entire district, no county or part of a county is allowed to have more than one resident delegate.
The Governor presented the Legislative Reapportionment Plan of 1982 to the General Assembly on January 13, 1982, pursuant to Article III, section 5, of the Constitution. The Plan became law on February 26, 1982 (Joint Resolution no. 1, Acts of 1982). This second statewide apportionment retained 47 legislative districts but redefined their boundaries. The third statewide apportionment of 1992 also retained 47 legislative districts and redefined their boundaries.
In the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the Legislative Districting Plan of 1992 was challenged on grounds that it violated the standards of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. On January 14, 1994, the State of Maryland was ordered to submit a plan for a new African-American majority district on the lower Eastern Shore by February 28, 1994 (Marylanders for Fair Representation, Inc. v. Schaefer). Approved by the U.S. District Court on April 5, 1994, the plan altered the boundaries of former Legislative Districts 36, 37, and 38, beginning with the 1994 general election.
The following descriptions of boundaries for legislative election districts refer to election districts, wards, and precincts by geographical boundaries as they existed in 1992 but also include boundaries approved April 5, 1994, for Legislative Districts 36, 37, and 38. Precinct boundaries are dynamic. Changes occur to reflect population shifts and to ensure convenient polling places for all voters. Local boards of election supervisors can provide current information on precincts encompassed within each district.
Delegate District 1A: Garrett County. Allegany County - Election Districts 9, 10, 18, 19.
Delegate District 1B: Allegany County - Election Districts 5, precincts 1, 6; Election District 7, precincts 1 (part), 2; Election Districts 8, 11-13, 17, 20, 23, 24, 26, 28; Election District 29, precincts 1, 2; Election Districts 30, 31, 34.
Delegate District 1C: Allegany County - Election Districts 1-4; Election District 5, precincts 2, 4; Election District 6; Election District 7, precinct 1 (part); Election Districts 14, 16, 21, 22; Election District 29, precinct 3; Election District 35.
Delegate District 2A: Washington County - Election Districts 2, 4, 5; Election District 10, precincts 1 (part), 2; Election Districts 15, 23, 24, 26.
Delegate District 2B: Washington County - Election Districts 1, 6, 8; Election District 10, precinct 1 (part); Election Districts 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 20.
Delegate District 2C: Washington County - Election Districts 3, 17, 21, 22, 25.
Frederick County - Election Districts 2, 3, 6, 10; Election District 13 (part); Election Districts 16, 21-24.
Washington County - Election Districts 7, 9, 13, 14, 27.
Delegate District 4A: Frederick County - Election Districts 1, 4, 7-9, 11, 12; Election District 13 (part); Election Districts 14, 15, 18, 20, 25, 26.
Delegate District 4B: Carroll County - Election Districts 1, 9-13. Frederick County - Election Districts 5, 17, 19.
Carroll County - Election Districts 2-8, 14.
Baltimore County - Election District 10, precinct 2 (part); Election District 11, precincts 1 (part), 2-5; Election District 15, precincts 3 (part), 4-18.
Harford County - Election District 1, precinct 2 (part); Election District 3, precincts 3 (part), 35 (part).
Baltimore County - Election District 12, precincts 2, 3, 5-8, 9 (part), 10-13; Election District 14, precincts 3 (part), 5-9; Election District 15, precincts 1, 2, 3 (part), 19-21.
Baltimore County - Election District 9, precincts 6, 21-24; Election District 10, precincts 1(part), 2 (part); Election District 11, precincts 1 (part), 6-9; Election District 14, precincts 1, 2, 3 (part), 4. (Map)
Baltimore City - Ward 27, precincts 14 (part), 18, 19, 20 (part), 23.
Delegate District 9A: Baltimore County - Election Districts 6, 7; Election District 8, precincts 1, 3, 6, 9 (part), 10-12; Election District 9, precincts 8-10, 16-20; Election District 10, precincts 1, 2 (part), 3, 4. (Map)
Delegate District 9B: Baltimore County - Election District 9, precincts 3-5, 7, 11-15. (Map)
Baltimore County - Election District 1, precincts 1, 2, 3 (part); Election District 2, precincts 1-8, 10-13, 16 (part), 18 (part); Election District 3, precincts 1, 3 (part).
Baltimore City - Ward 28, precincts 2-4, 7-9, 13-15.
Baltimore County - Election District 2, precincts 9, 14, 15, 16 (part), 17, 18 (part), 19; Election District 3, precincts 3 (part), 4, 5, 8-11; Election Districts 4, 5; Election District 8, precincts 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 (part), 13.
Delegate District 12A: Baltimore County - Election District 1, precincts 6 (part), 8, 10 (part), 11, 12 (part); Election District 13. Howard County - Election District 1, precincts 1-3.
Delegate District 12B: Howard County - Election District 1, precincts 4, 5 (part); Election District 2, precincts 3, 4 (part); Election District 5, precincts 2-4, 9, 12, 13 (part), 14-16.
Delegate District 13A: Howard County - Election District 1, precincts 5 (part), 6; Election District 5, precincts 5, 6; Election District 6, precincts 1, 2 (part), 3-14, 16-26.
Delegate District 13B: Howard County - Election District 6, precincts 2 (part), 15. Prince George's County - Election District 10, precincts 1 (part), 2-4, 9 (part).
Delegate District 14A: Montgomery County - Election District 5, precincts 1, 8, 15, 17-20; Election District 8, precincts 2 (part), 6, 8 (part), 10. (Map)
Delegate District 14B: Howard County - Election Districts 2, precincts 1, 2, 4 (part), 5-13; Election Districts 3, 4; Election District 5, precincts 1, 10, 11, 13 (part), 17. Montgomery County - Election District 8, precincts 2 (part), 7. (Map)
Montgomery County - Election Districts 2, 3; Election District 4, precincts 12, 17, 20, 23, 33; Election District 6; Election District 10, precincts 1-6, 8, 9, 11-13; Election District 11; Election District 12, precinct 3.
Montgomery County - Election District 4, precincts 10, 13, 18, 28, 31, 32; Election District 7, precincts 3, 4, 7-15, 17-20, 22-31, 33; Election District 10, precincts 7, 10; Election District 13, precinct 38 (part).
Montgomery County - Election District 4, precincts 1-9, 11, 14-16, 21, 22, 24, 25, 29, 30; Election District 9, precincts 1-3, 6, 7 (part), 13, 15, 16, 20, 21 (part), 24; Election District 13, precinct 38 (part), 62.
Montgomery County - Election District 4, precincts 26, 27; Election District 7, precincts 1, 2, 5, 6, 16, 21, 32; Election District 13, precincts 3, 7, 10, 12 (part), 14, 16, 17, 19 (part), 23-32, 34, 36, 39, 40, 42, 44, 53, 58, 59, 63 (part), 65, 66.
Montgomery County - Election District 4, precinct 19 (part); Election District 5, precinct 16; Election District 8, precincts 1, 3, 4 (part), 5, 8 (part), 9; Election District 13, precincts 1, 2, 11, 19 (part), 20, 33, 35, 37, 43, 45, 46, 48, 51, 52, 54-57, 60, 63 (part), 64.
Montgomery County - Election District 5, precincts 2-7, 9-14; Election District 13, precincts 4-6, 8, 9, 12 (part), 13, 15, 18, 21, 22, 41, 47, 50.
Montgomery County - Election District 13, precincts 67, 68 (Takoma Park).
Prince George's County - Election District 1; Election District 10, precincts 1 (part), 5-8, 9 (part), 10 (part); Election District 17, precincts 4, 6 (part), 10, 11, 13-15; Election District 21, precincts 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 (part), 10, 12 (part), 14, 15.
Delegate District 22A: Prince George's County - Election District 2, precinct 5; Election District 16; Election District 17, precincts 7, 9, 12; Election District 20, precincts 1, 2, 6, 7; Election District 21, precincts 7 (part), 9 (part), 12 (part).
Delegate District 22B: Prince George's County - Election District 2, precincts 3, 4, 6, 8, 9; Election District 20, precinct 3.
Prince George's County - Election District 3, precinct 2; Election District 7, precincts 1-8, 9 (part); Election District 10, precinct 10; Election District 14; Election District 20, precincts 5, 9; Election District 21, precincts 3, 6, 8, 9 (part), 11, 13, 16.
Prince George's County - Election District 2, precincts 1, 2, 7; Election District 6, precinct 3; Election District 13, precincts 1-3, 5, 7, 8; Election District 17, precincts 1-3, 5, 8; Election District 18, precincts 1-5, 7, 8, 10; Election District 20, precincts 4, 8.
Prince George's County - Election District 6, precincts 1, 4-7, 9-12, 15, 16, 18-22; Election District 7, precinct 9; Election District 9, precincts 1 (part), 3, 6 (part); Election District 13, precincts 4, 6, 10, 11; Election District 15, precinct 2 (part); Election District 18, precinct 6.
Prince George's County - Election District 5, precincts 2, 5, 6; Election District 6, precincts 2, 8, 13, 14, 17; Election District 9, precincts 2, 5; Election District 12.
Delegate District 27A: Prince George's County - Election District 3, precincts 1, 3; Election District 4; Election District 5, precincts 1, 3, 4; Election District 8; Election District 9, precincts 1 (part), 4, 6 (part), 7-9; Election District 11; Election District 15, precincts 1, 2 (part), 3.
Delegate District 27B: Anne Arundel County - Election District 7, precincts 1, 2, 9. Calvert County - Election District 3.
Delegate District 29A: St. Mary's County - Election Districts 3-5, 7; Election District 6, precinct 2.
Delegate District 29B: St. Mary's County - Election Districts 1, 2, 9; Election District 6, precinct 1; Election District 8, precincts 1, 3-5, 7*.
Delegate District 29C: Calvert County - Election Districts 1, 2. St. Mary's County - Election District 8, precincts 2, 6.
*In December 1993, precinct 7 was added to Election District 8 from part of precinct 1.
Anne Arundel County - Election District 5, precincts 1-4, 11, 13, 17-18, 20-23; Election District 6, precincts 1-18, 22-24; Election District 7, precincts 3-6, 10, 19.
Anne Arundel County - Election District 1, precincts 4, 13, 15-18; Election District 2, precincts 8, 10, 12; Election District 3; Election District 5, precincts 9, 10, 14, 16.
Anne Arundel County - Election District 1, precincts 1-3, 5-12, 14, 19; Election District 2, precincts 1-7, 9, 11, 13-17; Election District 4, precincts 1, 9, 10.
Anne Arundel County - Election District 4, precincts 2-8, 11; Election District 5, precincts 5-8, 12, 15, 19, 24; Election District 6, precincts 19-21; Election District 7, precincts 7, 8, 11-18, 20.
Harford County - Election District 1, precincts 3-6, 10 (part), 11, 12 (part), 45; Election District 2, precincts 1 (part), 2 (part), 3, 4, 10, 15, 19; Election District 3, precincts 10-12, 16 (part), 17, 18 (part); Election District 6.
Delegate District 35A: Harford County - Election District 1, precincts 2 (part), 10 (part), 12 (part); Election District 2, precincts 1 (part), 2 (part); Election District 3, precincts 2, 3 (part), 4, 5, 15, 16 (part), 18 (part), 20, 35 (part); Election Districts 4, 5. (Map)
Delegate District 35B: Cecil County - Election District 4, precinct 1; Election District 5, precinct 2; Election Districts 6-9. (Map)
Caroline County - Election District 1(part); Election District 7.
Cecil County - Election Districts 1-3; Election District 4, precinct 2; Election District 5, precinct 1.
Talbot County - Election District 1, precincts 4, 5; Election District 4.
Delegate District 37A: Dorchester County - Election District 2, precinct 1 (part); Election District 3 (part); Election District 7, parts of precincts 1-4; parts of Election Districts 11-15; Election District 17.
Wicomico County - Election District 1 (part); Election District 2 (part); Election District 3; Election District 5, precinct 2 (part); Election District 7; Election District 9, precincts 1B (part), 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3Y (part), 3Z; Election District 11 (part); Election District 12; Election District 13, parts of precincts 1-3; parts of Election Districts 15-16.
Delegate District 37B: Caroline County - Election District 1(part); Election Districts 2-6, 8.
Dorchester County - Election District 1; Election District 2, precincts 1 (part), 2; Election District 3 (part); Election Districts 4-6; Election District 7, precincts 1 (part), 3 (part), 4 (part), 5, 6; Election Districts 8-10; parts of Election Districts 11-15; Election Districts 16, 18.
Talbot County - Election District 1, precincts 1-3; Election Districts 2, 3, 5.
Wicomico County - Election Districts 1 (part), 2 (part); Election District 9, precinct 3Y (part); Election Districts 10, 11 (part), 15 (part).
Wicomico County - Election District 4; Election District 5, precincts 2 (part), 3, 4; Election Districts 6, 8; Election District 9, precincts 1A, 1B (part), 1E; Election District 13, parts of precincts 1-3; Election District 14; Election District 16 (part).
Montgomery County - Election District 1; Election District 4, precinct 19 (part); Election District 8, precinct 4 (part); Election District 9, precincts 4, 5, 7 (part), 8-12, 14, 17-19, 21 (part), 22, 23, 25, 26; Election District 12, precincts 1, 2.
Baltimore City - Ward 9, precincts 11, 12, 15; Ward 11, precincts 2, 3; Ward 12, precincts 5-9; Ward 13, precincts 5-18; Ward 14, precinct 1; Ward 15, precincts 10, 17-42, 44, 45; Ward 16, precincts 6, 7, 8 (part); Ward 27, precincts 93-96.
Baltimore City - Ward 15, precincts 1-9, 11-16, 43; Ward 16, precincts 9-12; Ward 19, precinct 2; Ward 20, precincts 4-12, 14, 15; Ward 25, precinct 2 (part); Ward 27, precincts 92, 97-101; Ward 28, precincts 5, 6, 10-12, 16-20.
Baltimore City - Ward 12, precincts 1-4, 20-24; Ward 13, precincts 1-4, 19-25; Ward 27, precincts 1, 71, 72, 78-91, 102-108; Ward 28, precinct 1.
Baltimore County - Election District 3, precincts 2, 6, 7; Election District 8, precinct 8; Election District 9, precincts 1, 2.
Baltimore City - Ward 9, precincts 1-10; Ward 27, precincts 15-17, 20 (part), 21, 22, 24-70, 73-77.
Baltimore City - Ward 3, precincts 1-2; Ward 4; Ward 5, precinct 1; Ward 6, precincts 2, 4; Ward 7, parts of precincts 7, 8; Ward 10, precincts 2-4; Ward 11, precincts 1, 4-9; Ward 14, precincts 2-12; Ward 16, precincts 1-5, 8 (part); Wards 17, 18; Ward 19, precincts 1-3; Ward 20, precincts 1-3, 13; Ward 21, precinct 3; Ward 22 (part).
Baltimore City - Ward 5, precincts 2, 3; Ward 6, precinct 3; Ward 7, precincts 1-6, 7 (part); Ward 8; Ward 9, precincts 13, 14, 16, 17; Ward 10, precinct 1; Ward 26, precincts 25-38, 39 (part), 40, 46, 47 (part); Ward 27, precincts 2-7.
Baltimore City - Wards 1, 2; Ward 3, precinct 3; Ward 6, precincts 1, 5, 6; Ward 7, precincts 8 (part), 9; Ward 26, precincts 1-24, 39 (part), 41-45, 47 (part), 48-51; Ward 27, precincts 8-13, 14 (part).
Baltimore County - Election District 12, precincts 1, 4, 9 (part).
Delegate District 47A: Baltimore City - Ward 21, precincts 1, 2; Wards 23, 24; Ward 25, precincts 1, 2 (part), 3-21.
Delegate District 47B: Baltimore County - Election District 1, precincts 3 (part), 4, 5, 6 (part), 7, 9, 10 (part), 12 (part).
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