The panel tasked with drawing a new political map for Montgomery County Council districts held its last meeting Wednesday evening, with an animated discussion on several members’ objections to the final plan.
The issue was a “minority report” that Redistricting Commission member Jason Makstein drew up. He objected to how the new proposed map of Montgomery County council districts divides up the North Potomac and Travilah area, which have large Asian and Pacific Islander populations.
Makstein said the proposed map would split large segments of the Asian and Pacific Islander population that live in the Clarksburg, Germantown, and Cedar Grove areas.
The redistricting process was touched off by both the expansion of the Montgomery County Council, from nine to 11 seats, and the results of the 2020 U.S. census, which determined there have been substantial demographic changes in the county over the past decade.
The census found that the county’s population grew by more than 91,000 — from 971,284 to 1,062,710 — and became more diverse over the preceding decade, with nearly 60 percent of the county’s residents identifying as Latino, Black or Asian.
Makstein had support from three of the 10 other commissioners on the panel — not enough to amend the redistricting report that explains how the new political map was drawn. The commission unanimously approved that report Wednesday evening.
The commission, however, agreed to include Makstein’s “minority report” as an addition to the minutes of the last meeting, held Oct. 30.
“I voted for the commission map, but I respect their views,” commissioner member David Stein said of those who voiced objections to the final plan.
Commission member Nilmini Rubin, however, was dissatisfied with the outcome.
“The rush to move forward without a minority report is embarrassing,” she said.
The proposed new map, which the commission approved earlier in a 6-5 vote, and the accompanying report the panel approved Wednesday will now go to the County Council for consideration.
The council can make changes and will hold a public hearing on the map on Nov. 18.
