By Senator Charles E. Sydnor III (D-Baltimore County- District 44), Sharonda Dillard-Huffman and Peta N. Richkus
On Aug. 17, the Greater Baltimore Urban League hosted an urgent discussion on Baltimore County’s redistricting. The message was clear: fair process, fair maps and fair representation. Bill 55-25—the County Council’s proposed plan—delivers none of these. Instead, Bill 55-25 undermines community trust, ignores public input and violates the Voting Rights Act. It silences communities of color who make up nearly half of Baltimore County’s population.
Defenders of Bill 55-25 invoke the idea of “keeping communities whole.” On its face, this sounds appealing—who doesn’t want to preserve neighborhoods? But like the siren’s song in ancient mythology, it lures listeners with beauty only to dash them against the rocks.
In practice, “keeping communities whole” is a cover to pack Black voters into just two districts in western Baltimore County and scatter other communities of color across the east, weakening their voices. Sweet as the song may sound, it overwhelms and destroys the very goal of fair representation. Redistricting isn’t just about lines—it’s about whether our communities have a voice in schools, public safety, housing and economic development. Representation shapes resources. If maps are unfair, entire communities are left behind for the next decade.
Consider the math: Baltimore County is 48 percent people of color, with 30 percent identifying as Black. Yet Bill 55-25 creates seven majority-White districts out of nine seats—giving 78 percent of Council power to 52 percent of the population. The Council points to two majority-Black districts, but those are packed with Black voting-age populations of 74.75 percent and 60.12 percent. Compare that to 2004, when Ken Oliver became the County’s first Black council member in a district with just 54.5 percent Black voting age population. Super-majority districts don’t increase opportunity—they waste votes.
Earlier this year, the County’s Redistricting Commission listened to residents, consulted experts and adopted a fairer map. That plan created two majority-Black districts, five majority-White districts, and two coalition districts—one west and one east—where Black, Latino, Asian and other communities could elect candidates of their choice.
Instead of honoring that work, Republican council members declared the Commission’s map “dead on arrival.” The Council then advanced its own plan, claiming it would not “sacrifice communities” or “jeopardize” Black representation by creating coalition districts. That false argument ignores reality: most Black members of Congress represent coalition—not majority-Black—districts. Bill 55-25 preserves the status quo. Under it, communities of color—48 percent of the County—can realistically influence just 22 percent of seats. The Commission’s map would have given them a fair shot at 44 percent.
Worse, the Council seems to have forgotten its 2021 defeat in federal court, when a map with a 71.7 percent Black district was struck down as a Voting Rights Act violation. That failure cost taxpayers more than $1 million in legal fees. Bill 55-25 risks dragging us down the same costly path.
More importantly, it denies residents the fair representation they are entitled to under the law.
Baltimore County deserves better. We need a map that reflects who we are today—not who we were decades ago. That means:
At least one new coalition district where communities of color can elect a candidate of choice:
- A process that respects the Commission’s public input
- Compliance with the Voting Rights Act and federal rulings
Residents must speak out now. Public hearings are scheduled for August 26 and September 4. The Council should reject Bill 55-25 and amend it as a commitment to fairness and diversity. For too long, communities of color have been told to wait their turn. That turn is now.
We stand with the ACLU of Maryland, Common Cause Maryland, the Baltimore County NAACP and the many residents demanding fairness. This fight is about more than politics—it’s about justice, equity and ensuring every community has a seat at the table. We cannot allow the siren’s song of “keeping communities whole” to lull us into complacency. Sweet words mean nothing if they steer us toward injustice. The only safe course is one that leads to fair representation for all.
Baltimore County’s future depends on it.
Senator Charles E. Sydnor III, Esq. represents Maryland’s 44th District in Baltimore County.
Sheronda Dillard-Huffman is president of the Blue and Gold Democratic Club and a candidate for Baltimore County Council.
Peta N. Richkus is former secretary of the MD Department of General Services, served on the AFRO American Newspapers Board of Directors from 1986 to 1998.
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