Redistricting Petition Drive Down to the Wire
By: Dawn White
Updated: June 27, 2012
FREDERICK, MD - Organizers of Maryland's Same Sex Marriage Referendum Drive had enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot, a month before the deadline, but for the leaders of the state's Congressional Redistricting Map Petition, it's an all out spring for the finish line.
Delegate Michael Hough (R) - Frederick & Washington Counties says, "This week we're making a real push. This is a grassroots effort. There's not a lot of money behind this or things like that, so it's grassroots. We've got volunteers out all week collecting the signatures. We need every signature that we can get."
Washington County Delegate Neil Parrott, Chairman of MDPetitions.com turned in about 26,000 signatures last month. He needs 30,000 more signatures by Saturday. Volunteers are out in full force, trying to get to the magic number of 56,000 valid signatures.
LaLa Mooney, a volunteer says, "I think it's fantastic that we now have the opportunity as voters to say, 'Hey, this needs to be looked at. You have overreached.'"
"I'm out here because I think this new map is completely unacceptable", says Michael Hill, another volunteer.
This congressional redistricting map splits Frederick County into two. As you can see, District 6 runs all the way from Garrett County all the way down here to Montgomery County.
Paulette Williams, a resident of Montgomery County, MD says, "The tax structure is different. The social and economic structure is different."
"No, this is ludicrous. Their districts needs to be about themselves and what they need", says Melanie Hoelman, who also signed the petition.
Volunteers will be out gathering signatures until Midnight on Saturday, hoping to garner enough support to get the measure on the ballot, and allow voters to make the final call.
Delegate Michael Hough (R) - Frederick & Washington Counties says, "This week we're making a real push. This is a grassroots effort. There's not a lot of money behind this or things like that, so it's grassroots. We've got volunteers out all week collecting the signatures. We need every signature that we can get."
Washington County Delegate Neil Parrott, Chairman of MDPetitions.com turned in about 26,000 signatures last month. He needs 30,000 more signatures by Saturday. Volunteers are out in full force, trying to get to the magic number of 56,000 valid signatures.
LaLa Mooney, a volunteer says, "I think it's fantastic that we now have the opportunity as voters to say, 'Hey, this needs to be looked at. You have overreached.'"
"I'm out here because I think this new map is completely unacceptable", says Michael Hill, another volunteer.
This congressional redistricting map splits Frederick County into two. As you can see, District 6 runs all the way from Garrett County all the way down here to Montgomery County.
Paulette Williams, a resident of Montgomery County, MD says, "The tax structure is different. The social and economic structure is different."
"No, this is ludicrous. Their districts needs to be about themselves and what they need", says Melanie Hoelman, who also signed the petition.
Volunteers will be out gathering signatures until Midnight on Saturday, hoping to garner enough support to get the measure on the ballot, and allow voters to make the final call.
