ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - The Maryland Democratic Party has filed a complaint against the Maryland State Board of Elections relating to the validation process of signatures in a petition drive against the state's congressional redistricting map.
David Sloan, the party's executive director, said in a statement Tuesday the board failed to apply standards for reviewing and validating the signatures.
On Friday, the elections board certified that opponents of the map had submitted 59,201 signatures to put the map on the ballot for voters to decide in November. They needed 55,736.
The challenge will have to be expedited, because ballot language must be certified by Aug. 20.
Opponents say the map has been gerrymandered to favor Democrats at the expense of fair representation. Democrats say it reflects demographic changes.
