ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Gov. Larry Hogan created a commission Thursday to study legislative redistricting reform in Maryland, which critics say has some of the nation's most gerrymandered congressional districts.
The 11-member panel will review approaches in other states that have established independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions. A report is slated to be completed by Nov. 3.
While Democrats have a 2-1 advantage in voter registration, the state's eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are now filled by seven Democrats and one Republican.
Hogan said the strong tilt to Democrats is a direct result of congressional maps that have been drawn by Democrats to strengthen their numbers.
A constitutional amendment to chance the redistricting process requires a three-fifths vote in the Democratically controlled legislature before going to the voters.
Senate President Mike Miller, a Democrat, said he wants to work with the governor, but he believes the issue needs to be settled nationally, with Democratic and Republican input, so states aren't put at a disadvantage with one another.
