Posted on 10/06/24
| News Source: WBAL
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 6, 2024 - Baltimore voters in November will get to decide whether city council districts should be reduced from 14 to 8, otherwise known as Question H.
The group, PEACE Baltimore, who received enough signatures to get Question H added to the ballot, said on its website that the reduction of the districts would save “significant taxpayers dollars and resources for Baltimore City.”
However, some are not for the reduction of districts. One of those opposed is Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen.
Cohen spoke with WBAL’s Jayne Miller in September. When asked about the ballot question, he said it could throw the city council into chaos.
“I think it’s a terrible idea. I think Baltimore is finally seeing some real gains on public safety. We’re seeing record reductions in homicides, we’re seeing significant drop in shootings,” Cohen said. “To essentially double the size of city council districts means that folks are going to get less constituent service. There is no other reality here.”
Councilman Ryan Dorsey also opposed the ballot question.
“The question of whether 14 people is too many to do what my colleagues and I do every day is patently absurd,” Dorsey said.
If the charter amendment is approved, the mayor of Baltimore would need to approve a redistricting map based on the most recent census, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections.
The General Election takes place on Nov. 3. Early voting in Maryland starts on Oct. 24.