THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                  1241

WHEREAS, The legislative and councilmanic districts of Baltimore
City, which are practically identical, have become badly out of date
and entirely disproportionate in size; and

WHEREAS, By reason of great shifts of population within Balti-
more City since the boundaries of the legislative and councilmanic
districts were last defined more than thirty years ago, the disparity
in population now means that some districts are relatively over-
represented while other districts are just as seriously under-repre-
sented; and

WHEREAS, The implications of the democratic process and of
representative government require that the ratios between electorate
and elected legislative officials should be approximately equal from
district to district in the City of Baltimore; and

WHEREAS, It is highly desirable that the legislative and council-
manic districts be redefined in the light of changed conditions and
that they be made identical with each other in order to avoid con-
fusion and uncertainty in the public mind; now therefore be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That a special
commission be created to study the present boundaries of the legis-
lative and councilmanic districts in the City of Baltimore and to
recommend such changes and modifications as would be necessary
to make the said districts of the City of approximately equal popula-
tion; and be it further

Resolved, That this special commission be established with the
following membership: two persons, residents of the City of Balti-
more, to be appointed by the Mayor of Baltimore City; two persons,
residents of the City of Baltimore, to be appointed by the Governor
of Maryland; one person, a member of the Baltimore City Delegation
in the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Delegates of Maryland; one person, a member of the City
Senators in the Senate of Maryland, to be appointed by the President
of the Senate of Maryland; and one person, a member of the City
Council of Baltimore, to be appointed by the President of the City
Council of Baltimore; and be it further

Resolved, That the said commission be requested to meet and
organize promptly after appointment and to elect its own chairman
and establish its own procedure for completing its work; and be it
further

Resolved, That the members of the special commission be requested
to give wide consultation with civic groups, associations of commerce
and any other interested groups, organizations or persons as part of
its effort to establish new boundary lines among the legislative and
councilmanic districts which will adequately and clearly reflect the
present population of Baltimore City; and be it further

Resolved, That the special commission be requested to report the
results of its findings, together with its recommendations for pro-
posed new boundaries, to the legislative and councilmanic districts
of Baltimore City on or before July 1, 1956, making such report to