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Vote NO to Question C. Vote YES to Question D.


Four years ago, voters passed term limits as a major step towards reforming the Montgomery County government. The county council’s district boundaries will be redrawn after the 2020 census. Now is the time to demand nine districts for equal representation. Join our non-partisan effor to give all county residents an equal voice on our County Council.
map of montgomery county showing distorted representation from southeastern corner
Decisions about a $6 billion budget and our public services, local jobs, transportation, housing, education, development, and taxes are made by Council members from an area with only 30% of the population.
Ballots will be mailed out at the end of Septemberto those who requested them. There will be no precinct voting. Or click here to learn where you can vote in person.
  • Early voting: Monday, October 26, 2020, 7:00 am - 8:00 pm through Monday, November 2, 2020, 7:00 am - 8:00 pm at 11 Early Voting sites.
  • Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, from 7 am to 8 pm at 39 Voting sites.

About Nine Districts For MoCo

Nine Districts for MoCo is a grassroots movement lead by Democrat activist Kim Persaud who saw that the outdated structure of the County Council denied fair and equitable representation to women, minorities, and 70% of the county’s residents.

Community groups including the Montgomery County Civic Federation, Greater Olney Civic Association, Town of Laytonsville, local unions, and Democrat and Republican activists and leaders are backing this non-partisan effort.

Your vote for Question D would help amend the County Charter to require each of the Council’s nine members to be elected from a Council district where he or she resides. 

VOTE for EQUALITY.
YES for Question D
END INEQUALITY
NO for Question C
Who is backing this? 16,000+ local residents signed a petition to put this on the ballot. 8 council members voted to put this on the ballot to keep their own seats
Cost to the taxpayers? Nothing Cost taxpayers millions of dollars for new county council staff, salaries, new furniture, and construction of new offices for politicians.
How will this help reform county government? It gives everyone in the county an equal voice. It will promote equality and fairness and help elect more women, minorities, and people from different parts of the county. It can strengthen the political machine, continue the dominance of Silver Spring-Takoma Park in council decisions, stifle the voices of women and minorities, and continue discrimination and inequality throughout the county.
Did you know…
  • At-large seats were used after the Civil War to suppress the black vote.
  • Congress abolished its at-large seats in 1967 because they perpetuate racism and inequality.
  • Montgomery County is one of only 9 of the 50 most populous U.S. counties with at-large seats.  The other 41 do not have at-large representatives because the outdated system prevents equal representation.
Did you know…

52% of Montgomery County residents are female, but our County Council is comprised of 8 men and 1 woman. We need change; we need equality in representation.

images of council members only one of which is a woman

Did you know…
  • Montgomery County has not had significant job growth in 20 years. Prince George's County and Fairfax County have both surpassed Montgomery County in job creation.
  • The declining revenue is creating significant budget cuts, requiring our county council to make tough decisions about priorities. Lack of equal representation on the county can enable some areas to fall behind in having their needs understood on issues like school construction, transportation, economic development, and other critical needs.

Media inquiries: contact Kim Persaud at cninedistricts@gmail.com or ‪(240) 242-5640.

    Boundaries for current County Council districts and their representatives' residences
    Register to vote Video: Is Your Voice Heard?
    Bethesda Beat: Residents debate at large vs. district structure for Montgomery County Council Video: Attempt to prevent Nine District's chair Kim Persaud from testifying before Charter Review Commission
    Video: 30% of residents have 7 out of 9 seats on County Council
    Video: Council Member Will Jawando speaks about under-representation for upper Montgomery County
    Video: Chair Kim Persaud joins the Nine Districts discussion on 21 This Week
    Video: Abolish at-large representation, and replace it with single-member districts.
    Video: Our at-large council members represent 1.04 million residents. This is not what local government looks like.
    Video: 65 of the County Council's last 67 enactments were approved unanimously. Not much diversity there.
    The Sentinel: What is the reason for MoCo's decay? Video: Kim Persaud on 21 This Week making the case for Nine Districts.
    Press Release: Support Grows for Ballot Question D, Urge Voters to Say NO to Question C

    THREE INFLUENTIAL MoCo GROUPS SUPPORT LOCALIZED REPRESENTATION

    Contact: Kimblyn Persaud October 16, 2020 240-242-5640 for Immediate Release

    Nine Districts for MoCo, a county-wide grassroots effort that put Question D on the election ballot, announced today more support by county organizations urging local residents to vote yes for equal representation for all. These organizations join the huge base of local residents and organizations that are urging local residents to demand that every resident of the county have an equal voice on the County Council, no one gets more and no one gets less.

    Endorsers supporting Question D and opposing C represent tens of thousands of MoCo residents are:

    • Montgomery County Civic Federation - A county-wide, nonprofit umbrella group representing dozens of local organizations and associations, since 1925.
    • Greater Olney Civic Association – A nonprofit, umbrella organization representing more than 35 civic and homeowner associations
    • Montgomery County Green Party – The Green Party joins Democrats, Republicans, and Independents throughout the county in supporting Question D.

    “These organizations are urging their supporters to vote YES for the Question D ballot initiative that was launched by 16,000 local residents,” said Kimblyn Persaud, a Wheaton Democrat who is leading the demand for equality in the County. “A few years ago, we stood up against the political machine and supported term limits to help reform local government. We passed that, and now this is the next step in returning power to the people instead of keeping it in the hands of a few powerful individuals.”

    When the nine districts idea was initially raised, former Councilmembers Neal Potter and Phil Andrews had argued that “candidates for the at-large seats are unable to become personally known to a significant fraction of the nearly 1,000,000 people they seek to represent” and that council members elected from smaller districts would be “more responsive to their views rather than to those of wealthy contributors.” Indeed, the predictions have been proven, as seen by the schools that have been ignored, loss of jobs, and endless gridlock in the parts of Montgomery County not represented by a local council member living in the neighborhood.

    Added Persaud, “Members of the County Council wanting to protect their own political seats are trying to steamroll democracy in Montgomery County. Instead of really fighting for equality and change, they launched a last minute gimmick initiative that would expand the county council with a $3.4 million price tag to pay for more council staff, construct new offices, and buy new furniture. Vote NO to their initiative, Question C.”

    Authority of Nine Districts for MoCo; Mark Lautman, Treasurer

16,000 people signed our petition to get Question D on the ballot. Now we need your help to get the information and urgency about it to all voters in the county. Can you join our effort to bring equality to Montgomery County in 2020?

Please support equality in Montgomery County TODAY with a donation in any amount that you can afford!

Donate Now!

Nine Districts for MoCo is a nonpartisan ballot committee registered as a 527 entity with the Maryland Board of Elections. Donations are not tax deductible.

Yes, I want to join this grassroots effort to bring equality to Montgomery County. Please sign me up today for:

  • Request a yard sign
  • Volunteer to sign wave
  • Volunteer to help with social media
  • Volunteer to distribute literature
  • Volunteer to work at a voting site
  • Other

Contact Information

Phone: ‪(240) 242-5640
Email: cninedistricts@gmail.com
tninedistricts@gmail.com
Facebook: @ninedistrictsformoco

Please check your petition and click the send button below:

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Thank You for Signing!

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Join our citizens movement and donate, volunteer, and vote in November for this important reform.

By Authority Nine Districts for MoCo; Mark Lautman, Treasurer
@ninedistrictsformoco