On January 31, Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge William Snoddy ruled that the new district map created by the Prince George’s County Council in November of 2021 was illegally accepted by the county council majority (6 to 3). According to the court order, “Prince George’s County Council shall immediately withdraw the redistricting plan in CR-123-2021 and submit the Commission’s plan …” The Commission’s plan refers to the “least-change” map developed by the nonpartisan redistricting commission and submitted to county council last September.
Greenbelt remains in District 4 for both maps. However, in the map adopted by county council in November 2021, Greenbelt Park, which is within the city limits though a part of the National Park System, was put in a different district than the rest of the city. Last fall, the Greenbelt City Council sent a letter to the county council urging them to accept the map of the nonpartisan redistricting commission which would keep the park with the rest of the city.
The circuit court ruling came after a suit was filed on January 24 by Robert E. Thurston, president of the Lakeland Civic Association, and other supporters of former councilmember Eric Olson (District 3). The November 2021 map put Olson in a different district.
The suit, which was heard in district court on Friday, January 28, claimed that the map was accepted illegally as a resolution instead of as a redistricting bill. In his ruling, Snoddy agreed with the plaintiffs.
County council spokesperson Karen Campbell responded Tuesday morning: “The Prince George’s County Council is in receipt of the Court Order in the matter concerning the validity of the council’s 2021 Redistricting Plan and upcoming February 22, 2022, filing deadline to declare candidacy for the 2022 Councilmanic election. The decision will be appealed immediately.”