Time to Comment on Redistricting Maps in Potomac
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Time to Comment on Redistricting Maps in Potomac

The eleventh meeting of the Montgomery County Commission on Redistricting will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 20 from 5 - 7 p.m. The commission is likely to select one of three maps under consideration to present to County Council at the Oct. 20 meeting.

Redistricting is required every 10 years after the census. But additionally, voters in Montgomery County decided to add two districts to the five currently in place. County Council will be made up of seven district members plus four at-large members. 

The three maps under review by the Commission are posted on the webpage https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/BCC/redistricting/index.html 

Map1 (named David) and Map2 (named Jason) appear to split Potomac into at least two parts. It’s hard to determine exactly what is going on because roads are not shown on the map, and planning subdistrict names are used (so part of Potomac is labeled Travilah, for example. Map3 (named Dean) appears to keep Potomac together, separate from Bethesda. The implications of the three maps for the Agricultural Reserve are also considerable. It’s worth taking a look.

The Commission is seeking public comment on these maps. Comment here:  https://mcgmd.wufoo.com/forms/z11ubcrx1gn9bis/

The public will be able to watch the meeting’s livestream on the Montgomery County Council's Facebook page and YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPZn_MSvlSE. The meeting will also be televised on County Cable Montgomery (Channels 6 and 996 on Xfinity, Channels 6 and 1056 on RCN and Channel 30 on FiOS).  

During the previous Commission on Redistricting meeting on Oct. 13, the Commission discussed three potential redistricting maps. In order for the Commission to continue its work to deliver a final map to the County Council, they say they will not be holding a public comment session on Oct. 20; instead, they will meet to review the maps and may vote on a final map to send to the Council as part of this meeting. 

The members of the Commission on Redistricting are: Imad Aldean Ahmad, Laura Ard, Mariana Cordier, Keshia Desir, Arthur Edmunds, Valerie Ervin, Bruce Goldensohn, Jason Makstein, Nilmini Rubin, Samuel Statland, and David Stein.  Their contact information is on the redistricting website.