The Politics Hour

With Kojo Nnamdi, Tom Sherwood, and Bruce DePuyt

WAMU, November 19, 2021

    This week, the Prince George’s County Council approved a redistricting map despite a public outcry from some residents who say the map is being used to influence next year’s elections. 

Maryland Matters senior reporter Bruce DePuyt helps us make sense of the situation. 

 Prince George’s County Council approves map slammed by more than 150 residents in public testimony

By Rachel Chason

Washington Post, November 17, 2021

   Residents accused the Prince George’s County Council of blatant political gerrymandering. They said their trust has been eroded. If the council approved the redistricting map under consideration, they warned, it would stain the county’s reputation.

After listening to hours of angry testimony from more than 150 residents during a hearing that stretched late into Tuesday night, a majority of the 11-member council unapologetically voted for the plan.

 Despite Citizen Outcry, Prince George’s Council Approves Controversial Map

By Bruce DePuyt

Maryland Matters, November 17, 2021

 For five hours, a half-dozen members of the Prince George’s County Council were raked over the coals by their constituents in unusually blunt terms.

In October, the six voted to give preliminary approval to a county council redistricting plan that they had crafted in secret and sprang on the public — and their colleagues — with little warning.

At a public hearing that stretched until 10:30 Tuesday evening, approximately 120 county residents accused lawmakers of engaging in blatant gerrymandering.

 Prince George’s County Council Approves Highly Controversial Redistricting Map

By Dominique Maria Bonessi

DCist/WAMU, November 17, 2021

   Prince George’s County councilmembers approved a controversial redistricting proposal Tuesday night despite opposition from residents, 150 of whom stayed at a council meeting late into the night to testify against the plan. 

“There is no justice today with this decision,” Glaros told council members. “They know what gaslighting is.”

Those opposed, like Linda Thornton-Thomas, president of the county’s branch of the NAACP, said the council should have approved the map created by the independent commission instead.

 Controversial redistricting map gets green light in Prince George’s Co.

By Nick Iannelli

WTOP, November 17, 2021

   Despite widespread and passionate opposition to a redistricting proposal in Maryland’s Prince George’s County, council members voted 6-3 on Tuesday in favor of moving ahead with the plan.

The county council’s vote to move forward followed around six hours of testimony including more than 150 speakers, who were universally opposed to the plan and urged council members to reject it.

 “The Prince George’s County NAACP would like for the council to consider using the commission map,” said Linda Thornton-Thomas, president of the county’s NAACP chapter. “It’s based on population. We think that’s the fair way to go.” 

 Prince George's County Council Approves Redistricting Over Residents' Protests

By Tracee Wilkins

NBC4, November 17, 2021

The Prince George’s County Council approved a new district map late Tuesday after more than 150 people criticized the plan as politically motivated gerrymandering that disenfranchises residents. 

Six members of the council approved the map after citizen after citizen begged council members not to divide longstanding communities. 

 Prince George’s County Council Approves New District Boundaries

By William J. Ford

Washington Informer, November 17, 2021

Although every Prince George’s County resident spoke in opposition to a major redistricting plan, the county council still voted 6-3 Tuesday to approve revamped districts to remain in effect for the next nine years.

Words and phrases used during the nearly six-hour virtual public hearing included “gerrymandering,” “appalled” and “rip communities apart.”

 Amid fierce dissent from residents, Prince George’s County Council backs redistricting map

By Christine Zhu

The Diamondback, November 16, 2021

  Several elected officials from College Park spoke at Tuesday’s hearing, including Mayor Patrick Wojahn and six city council members: Fazlul Kabir, Kate Kennedy, Susan Whitney, Stuart Adams, John Rigg and Maria Mackie. 

 University Park Mayor Lenford Carey said the proposed map would divide his community, too. He said the University Park town council is unanimously opposed to the map.

“I have heard, so far, no one in favor of these proposals. The question is whether or not you council members care,” Carey said.

Prince George's County Residents 

Push Back Ahead of Redistricting Vote

By Tracee Wilkins

NBC4, November 11, 2021

 Community leaders from across Prince George’s County gathered Thursday in protest of a new district map, calling it gerrymandering.

The Prince George's County Council will vote Tuesday on a new district line map that would drastically change who residents can vote for and who represents them.

“When you separate us, you separate our voices, you separate our power. You disenfranchise,” said Lan Tsubata of West Lanham Hills Association.

“We citizens deserve a process that is absent of perceived corruption,” said Kimberly Crews of Cool Spring Terrace Civic Association.

 Accusations of gerrymandering have deepened divisions in this Democratic suburb near D.C. 

By Rachel Chason

Washington Post, November 10, 2021

 Allegations that Prince George’s County Council members are gerrymandering their districts to consolidate power ahead of the 2022 elections have roiled residents and deepened divisions among Democrats in this deep-blue Maryland community. 

College Park Council to send letter opposing Prince George’s County redistricting plans

By Grace Yarrow

The Diamondback, November 9, 2021

College Park City Council members unanimously voted Tuesday to send a letter to the Prince George’s County Council opposing the county’s redistricting plan.

The city’s drafted letter alleges that the current county redistricting plan is an attempt to gerrymander the districts, which “has damaged the public trust in the Council and has damaged the County’s reputation.”

County representatives propose redistricting plans

By Nolan Clancy

College Park Here and Now, November 10, 2021

Olson was also critical of the proceedings of the meeting on Oct. 14, during which Davis’ proposed map, the first to redesignate Olson’s residence to District 1, was presented. 

“It was one of the worst displays of a public meeting that I’ve ever seen,” Olson said. “It was completely appalling.”

The contentious eleventh hour redistricting changes that could shape Prince George’s County

By D.W. Rowlands

Greater Greater Washington, 

November 9, 2021

  The redistricting process of revamping legislative district lines, occurring after the decennial census, can be slow, and sometimes tedious. Sometimes. But the proceedings over the last few months in Prince George’s County were anything boring. Eleventh-hour redistricting plans, accusations of gerrymandering. And while the drama may be real, so are the potential consequences for Prince George’s residents. 

 Alternative Prince George’s Redistricting Proposal Sparks Sharp Debate

By Dominique Maria Bonessi

DCist/WAMU, October 21, 2021

 “It looks very gerrymandered if we call it what it is,” Councilmember Danielle Glaros, who represents District 3’s area of College Park and voted against the proposed map, told DCist/WAMU. 

“It doesn’t really help propel the work we’ve been doing around the community…it makes everything very mucky in terms of moving forward priorities.” Glaros added that the plan disconnects and disenfranchises university neighborhoods from College Park. 

By Tracee Wilkins

News4, October 19, 2021

Council members who oppose Davis’ plan accused him and others of attempting to write out serious challengers in the 2022 council race, like former Councilman Eric Olson, who was actively campaigning and has now been written into another district. 

“The goal is to remove any possible challengers that these members don't like,” Ivey said. 

“There is a concerted effort to control how this district functions and who our residents in District 3 have an opportunity to vote on,” Dannielle Glaros, of District 3, said.  

By Tracee Wilkins

News4, October 19, 2021

   People in Prince George’s County are fighting back against a proposal to radically change council district lines. Prince George’s County Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins reports it impacts some of the county’s largest cities and will push some candidates who are currently campaigning into other districts. 

By Shreya Vuttaluru

The Diamondback, October 19, 2021

  Lan Tsubata, president of West Lanham Hills Citizens Association, came to College Park on Monday afternoon to protest the redistricting changes. She watched Thursday’s county council meeting and felt that council members opposed to the map were “steamrolled,” and if the council members intended on being democratic, they would have opened the process to the public.

“They don’t see us as communities, they see us as commodities,” she said. “We are the commodity of a backdoor handshake deal.”

By Bruce DePuyt

WTOP News, October 19, 2021

 Critics point especially to the unusual shape of the re-fashioned District 1, which narrows inexplicably to gobble up the Calvert Hills community. Calvert Hills is home to former Councilmember Eric Olson (D), who told Maryland Matters he has been campaigning door-to-door for the District 3 seat for months. 

 Councilmember Dannielle M. Glaros (D-District 3), who served on Olson’s staff, said it’s “clear and obvious… that there is a concerted effort to control how this district functions and who our residents have an opportunity to vote on.” 

Prince George's Council Passes Controversial Redistricting Map 6-4

By Brad Bell

ABC7 News, October 19, 2021

  PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A 6-4 majority of the Prince George’s County Council reaffirmed Tuesday a surprise set of changes to the county council district map that differs from the redistricting proposed by an independent commission. 

 Prince George's County Redistricting Plan Draws Sharp Criticism

By William J. Ford

Washington Informer, October 18, 2021

Dozens of people stood outside the College Park plaza with a simple message for the six council members who voted for the new plan: “Keep District 3 together.” Besides College Park, the area includes the municipalities and communities of Berwyn Heights, New Carrollton, Riverdale Park and Seabrook.

Llatetra Brown Esters, a council member representing College Park, held a “We Demand Transparency” sign. Part of the message focused on the council choosing to support a plan the same day it became publicly released without citizen input.

 Critics Denounce Redistricting Changes as 'Outrageous,' 'Appalling'

By Bruce DePuyt

Maryland Matters, October 18, 2021

Davis rejected the suggestion that his map was crafted to hurt or help specific candidates or incumbents.

But Olson, who said he has been door-knocking for months, believes otherwise. “It was done to cut me out of District 3,” he said.

“This is actually appalling, the way this was conducted,” Olson added. “It is a last-minute, radical gutting of our communities that have worked together. … It’s horrendous (and) people are outraged.”

 Prince George's Residents Moved into New Voting Districts

By Tracee Wilkins

News4, October 15, 2021

 The new map changes who can run for seats in the 2022 election. Prince George’s County Council will get second vote on amended map.

Eric Olson Strives to Build Community

 By Alexandra Radovic 

College Park Here and Now, July 2021

“It’s really about working together with people to realize a vision and a dream that people share,” Olson said. “I [feel] like my job is not just to be a representative of a community, but also to be a community organizer … showing neighborhoods that they have the power to create change.”

 In Booming College Park, campus energy, affordability, and a sense of community 

 By Natalie Jones 

Washington Post, July 1, 2020

 When Olson came to College Park in the 1990s to obtain his master’s degree in American studies, he was initially drawn to the city’s proximity to the District. He stayed on and served on the College Park City Council for nine years. Now, living in the Calvert Hills neighborhood with his wife and two daughters, Olson appreciates how active and creative the community is. In the fall, he can hear the university’s marching band practicing from his house — a perk of living in a college town.