How Racial Gerrymandering, Political Self-Preservation, and Historical Amnesia Are Colliding in 2025
By Barry O’Connell
In 1812, Elbridge Gerry lent his name to a political creature so grotesque it resembled a salamander. The “Gerry-mander” was born—a district drawn to preserve power, not represent people. Over two centuries later, Baltimore County is poised to birth its own beast: a redistricting map that packs Black voters into two super-majority districts while preserving white control across the rest. It’s not just ugly. It’s illegal, immoral, and historically familiar.
🧠 A Brief History of Packing and Power
Gerrymandering has always been a tool of exclusion. After Reconstruction, Southern legislatures used it to dilute Black voting power, drawing “boa constrictor” districts that swallowed Black communities whole while leaving surrounding districts comfortably white. In Bush v. Vera (1996), the Supreme Court ruled that packing minority voters into districts can violate the Equal Protection Clause. Even if Izzy did it under the guise of representation.
Baltimore County’s proposed map—Bill 55-25—follows this same playbook. It creates two districts with over 75% and 60% Black populations respectively, while the remaining seven districts remain majority white. The ACLU of Maryland calls it “a textbook example of racial gerrymandering designed to dilute Black political power”.
🗺️ The Political Math and Moral Failure
To pass the map, the seven-member County Council needs five votes. That requirement has turned redistricting into a cynical negotiation. Two Democratic councilmembers—Izzy Patoka and Mike Ertel, have reportedly resisted equitable representation to protect their own seats. District 2, which Patoka represents, is now over 54% non-white, yet the map aims to preserve its demographic balance to ensure a Jewish councilmember remains viable. Izzy who shows obvious signs of racism continually wants to maintain District 2 as the Jewish District. This is not in any way against young Karson Kamenetz who's a very nice young man but you can't engage in racist gerrymandering that violates the law just because Karson's a good kid. You can give non-whites a voice and still maintain a Jewish District.
Ertel, meanwhile, is accused of prioritizing his reelection, even if it means ceding half the council to Republicans. As one insider put it: “He doesn’t care if half the council goes red, as long as he’s safe.”
🗣️ Voices from the County
Citizens aren’t staying silent. At public hearings and in written testimony, residents have voiced outrage:
> “This map is a betrayal. It’s not about representation—it’s about containment.”
—Sharonda Huffman, Randallstown resident. (I don’t usially pay attention to Sharonda since she called up and yelled at me and threatened me. But she is right on this one.)
> “We’ve got to get away from this. If you’re a good candidate, I don’t care if you’re Black, green or blue—you can win.”—Former Baltimore Mayor Jack Young who has only won in majority Black districts in his career.
> “Two super-Black districts don’t fix anything. They just lock in inequality.”
—Peta Richkus, Baltimore Brew contributor
The Redistricting Commission itself held 13 public meetings and received over 1,000 emails from residents. Their final recommendation was discarded in favor of a radically different map that entrenches white political power.
🧭 Biblical and Historical Echoes
This moment echoes the biblical story of Rehoboam, who inherited a kingdom and chose to ignore the elders’ counsel. Instead, he listened to his peers, doubled down on oppression, and split the kingdom. Baltimore County’s leaders face a similar choice: heed the voices of justice or fracture the moral foundation of their governance.
The map also recalls the sugar trade’s legacy, where boundaries were drawn not for fairness but for extraction. Just as colonial powers carved up land to preserve control, this map carves up communities to preserve incumbency.
⚖️ What Needs to Happen
The Council must reject Bill 55-25. A fair map would reflect the county’s true diversity: nearly 50% minority, over 50% female, and increasingly multiracial. Advocates propose alternatives like the 3-1-5 plan, three majority Black, one majority minority, five majority white, which better aligns with the Voting Rights Act and demographic reality.
📣 Call to Action
Baltimore County residents still have time to act. Two public hearings remain:
- August 26, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
- September 9, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
Final adoption is scheduled for September 15.
Submit testimony to: countycouncil@baltimorecountymd.gov
Sharonda is not a Randallstown resident and does not participate in Barry’s salacious reporting. Please update your facts and give a link on where Sharonda said that.