virtue of the multiple offices and the fact
that there is a ticket every time there is
an election.
My history, rather short, was that when
I first became involved in politics I was
informed that unless you were "on the old
man's ticket" you didn't get elected; so the
first time I ran, I ran on the old man's
ticket and got elected.
Then a few years later, when we had
sort of our parting of the ways—although
personally we never had any problems—1
used the wisdom that had been granted me
and I put together a ticket, so that we
would have a chance.
The history of our county—and I think
in many other jurisdictions in the State—
is that if you are not on a ticket, you do
not have much of a chance.
Now, we have a three delegate district
in Prince George's County, and during the
last election one of the incumbents who
ran, was not on the ticket, and the ticket
that ran as a ticket won all three positions.
We had another Statewide office holder,
or countywide office holder, who was quite
popular, but for good and sufficient reason
we decided that we did not want him on our
ticket, and he did not win.
The only people who won in Prince
George's County were those who were on
tickets, whether they were on my ticket or
the opposing ticket.
It seems to me that if we really want to
give a realistic opportunity to a citizen to
win who may not be particularly politically
oriented, but may have something to con-
tribute to his state we should not send him
to whoever is masterminding the ticket for
that area, whether it be for six, seven,
eight or even three. I would suggest to you
that whether political organizations are
good or bad, whether they are machines or
benevolent organization, as we have in
Prince George's County, whatever they are,
whatever their motive, as long as we create
the situation of multiple districts for the
same office, we give stature to those who
work behind the scenes, those who con-
tribute the funds for the campaign, and
we actually insulate the people from their
elected officials.
I have other reasons why I should sup-
port the single member district, but 1
thought that since I am one of the few
politicians who admits it around here 1
ought to give you a lesson in politics. |
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any delegate
desire to speak in favor of the amendment?
Delegate Singer.
DELEGATE SINGER: I have a ques-
tion of Delegate Rybczynski.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does Delegate Ryb-
czynski yield for a question?
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKI: Yes, sir.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Singer.
DELEGATE SINGER: What is your
specific intention: to limit a senate district,
or rather to avoid the flexibility of the
Case-Lord amendment, that the delegate
district might have one, two, or three
representatives? As I read your amendment
it would restrict that operation or flexibility.
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKI: That is
right. One or three, since we have estab-
lished the one-to-three ratio in the Senate
and the House. That is true.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any delegate
desire to speak in opposition?
Delegate Clark.
DELEGATE J. CLARK: Mr. Chairman,
ladies and gentlemen of the Committee of
the Whole:
The very object of our struggle here
during most of this week has been to create
a situation under which the people of this
State could be favorably represented in
their General Assembly. I think that no
step that we could possibly take would
make this more of a reality than to support
the Committee in its proposal that we have
single member districts, both for the House
and for the Senate. Multi-member districts
have many faults. We have heard the word
visibility used here, and it is a good word.
When there are three people running from
a district, say of 100,000 people, a lot of
visibility is lost. However, if three people
are each running from a district of 33,000,
there is a great deal of visibility, and this
is good.
Another thing very much in favor of the
smaller districts, under the 120-40 plan
that we have adopted, would be House dis-
tricts of about 33,000 and a Senate district
of roughly 100,000.
I can see that if we have three delegates
running together in a senatorial district of
100,000 people. However, a medium sized
county, such as my own, which would be
allotted two and two-tenths delegates, |
