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I am registered Anne Arundel County democrat but try to be nonpartisan and objective in my analysis. I testified on anti gerrymandering legislation for congressional and legislative districts this legislative session. One had two minutes to talk on both bills combined. A ridiculously short time for testimony on two very important bills. The democratic house members could not wait for the two bills hearing to be over with. No questions from the committee no matter how pointed the analysis by those that testified. Maryland is among the very worst gerrymandered states and according to Philadelphia cartography firm Azavea the worst gerrymandered state concerning congressional districts. Other states near us, Ohio and Virginia for example, have past laws to get district map drawing out of the direct hands of elected politicians.

Maryland badly needs a state wide initiative procedure. In my opinion, it should not be all that easy to get an initiative bill on the ballot for voters and narrow special interest bills should not be allowed. However, an initiative procedure is a necessary for democracy when the politicians ignore the will of the voters for their own self interest on important issues.

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