Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-16
Redistricting
Bill Divides
Suburbanites
County Delegates
Split on Measure
Passed by Senate
By a Star staff Writer

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. IS. Sub
urban Washington members of
the House Of Delegates were
critical today of the State Sen
ate's plan to reapportion the
lower house.
The Senate bill was passed
yesterday, by a vote Of 22-4.
The measure would reduce the
House membership to its for
mer 1913 seats, force large coun-
ties to create legislative dis
tricts and give the urban areas
about So per cent Of the mem
bership.
MONTGOMERY and Prince
Georges Counties would be as
signed nine seats each under
the measure, three more than
they had last year, but one less
than they now have under tenn
porary reapportionment.
THE bill is glaringly defi-
Gent" said Delegate John r.
Moore, Democrat Of Montgom-
cry. ANY good reapportion-
ment bill shouldn't overlook re-
alignment of the Senate"
G. O.P. Sees Merit
There is no oasis or justif'-
cation for separate districts in
Montgomery" said Delegate
James s. McAuliffe, jr., Demo-
crat of Montgomery.
But Montgomery's Republic
can legislators were not so sure
the bill doesn't have some
merit.
IT don't ike it the way 1t
is" said James r. Miller, jr.,
chairman of the delegation,
and a Republican. II favor the
district idea but there should
be some delegates elected at
large. I could support this bill
if 1t were amended"
Under the measure, spon-
sored by Senator Frederick
Malkus, Democrat Of Dorches-
ter, and two others, Montgom-
cry County, for example, would
be divided into three districts
with three delegates elected
from each. The delegates would
have to live in the districts
and would be on the ballot only
in that area. At present. all
delegates run at large.
Shorter Ballot Seen
Senator Gilbert Guide, Re-
publican of Montgomery. and
Senator H. Winship Wheatley,
Democrat of. Prince Georges,
voted for the bill in the Senate.
II think this bill has merit"
Mr.. Guide said. THE legisla-
tive districts would help short
en- the unwieldy ballot and
would give the voters a chance
to know their candidates"
Mr.. Miller and other House
Republicans have q reappor-
tionment bill of their own,
which is bottled up In commit
tee.
Under this measure, some
delegates would be elected
within districts. but several
would be elected at large. The
Republican bill would leave
the House membership at the
143 figure established under
court pressure last year.
Delegates Are Wary
Most Prince Georges County
delegates said they wanted to
talk to the Maryland Fair Rep
resentation Committee" before
commenting on the Senate bill.
Royce Hanson, president of
the committee, said last week
he opposed the Malkus bill as
premature"
He said that the Governor
has set up a special commits
sion to study the matter and
urged that no decision be made
until the committee reports,
probably sometime before next
years 30-day legislative ses-
sion.
The Senate m easure will
have a tough time in the
House, where some members
would have to vote themselves
out of office. Even Senator
Malkus' county would lose two
of its four delegates.
This is Just Malkus' rou-
lette," said Delegate Ray Nc
Donough, Democrat of Prince
Georges. I'VE lose one delegate
and of course, no one knows
who 1t will be-"