Keep an eye out for partisan motives as Maryland begins redistricting

Statewide redistricting is under way, and the governor's road show is headed to Baltimore County this weekend for one of 12 stops.

Officially called the Governor's Redistricting Advisory Committee, the panel convenes on Saturday, Aug. 27, at 2 p.m. at Stephens Hall Theater on the Towson University campus.

The public is invited to comment on where the lines should be drawn demarking the state's legislative and congressional districts. This testimony will be weighed and recommendations made to Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Then, and only then, decisions will be made, with no political partisanship entering into it, on how district lines will be redrawn, seeing to it that both Democrats and Republicans get a fair shake.

Uh huh.

Cynics might say some of these decisions have already been made in a back room somewhere. They might say the 12 committee hearings held all around the state are mostly for show. They might say the state's dominant Democrats will use redistricting to consolidate power.

If history is an indicator, they might be right. Just ask Don Murphy.

During redistricting in 2001, Murphy, a white Republican delegate living in Catonsville, discovered that redrawn district lines took his street in Catonsville — and virtually only his street — out of District 12A, where he had won election, and into the deeply Democratic 10th District.

It effectively ended his career in elective office and served as Exhibit A in the 2001 case against gerrymandering.

At the time, The Sun reported that Murphy showed his displeasure at a meeting of the redistricting panel chaired by then-Gov. Parris Glendening and brandished a large box of screws.

"They represent the people of Catonsville," he told the panel. "I hope the symbolism is not lost."

Ten years later, it remains to be seen if the administration of Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley intends redistricting mischief. We hope not.

But, in the meantime we hope all those — Republicans, Democrats and otherwise — who have a stake in where district lines are drawn take the trouble to speak up, either by attending the hearing or submitting their views under the presumption decisions will be made in nonpartisan good faith. (To register to submit comments, go to http://www.mdp.state.md.us/Redistricting for details.)

Is such presumption misplaced? Maybe. But the more watchdogs, the greater the chance for a fair outcome.