Maryland's 2nd congressional district

Maryland's 2nd congressional district

Maryland's 2nd congressional district - since January 3, 2013
Current Representative Dutch Ruppersberger (D)
Area 359 sq mi (930 km2)
Distribution
  • 98.3% urban
  • 1.7% rural
Population (2013) 745,135
Ethnicity
Occupation
Cook PVI D+7[1]

Maryland's 2nd congressional district elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives every two years. The district comprises parts of Howard, Harford, Baltimore, and Anne Arundel Counties, as well as small portions of the City of Baltimore. The seat is currently represented by Dutch Ruppersberger (D).

Historical boundaries

When it was first organized in the late 1780s the Maryland 2nd Congressional district consisted of the northern portion of the eastern shore of Maryland and the area where the Susquehanna River empties into the Chesapeake Bay. It had a population of 55,008 in 1790.[2]

After the 1790 census Maryland gained two seats in the house. The new 2nd district essentially consisted of Howard County, Prince George's County and Anne Arundel County. The boundary ran on a line heading north-east from the north-west corner of the District of Columbia so that a small portion of Montgomery County was also in the 2nd district.[3]

This remained the boundaries of the district until the post-1830 census redistricting. At this time the 2nd district was moved back to the eastern shore region where it had been at first. The only change between the district's boundaries in 1790 and those in 1834 was that in the latter year Caroline County was part of the 2nd district.[4]

In the 1842 redistricting, which involved a decrease in the total number of representatives, Maryland went back to having only six members of the house. The second district was moved again and now composed the Maryland Panhandle, that is all of Maryland starting with Frederick County and going west.[5]

The post-1850 census redistricting caused another drastic redrawing of Maryland's congressional districts. The second district was moved back to the East side of the state. However this time it only had the eastern shore as far south as Kent County. However going westward it had Harford County, northern and western Baltimore County and the western and most southerly portions of Baltimore. It also took in Carroll County.[6]

In the 1862 redistricting process Maryland was reduced to having only five congressional districts. The second was cut down in size though to only having Harford County, eastern and northern Baltimore County including some areas now within the city boundaries on Baltimore.[7]

In the 1872 redistricting Maryland rose to six districts. However the area of the 2nd district increased. This was partly because it lost some of its area on the east side of Baltimore to the third district. It now also consisted of virtually all of Baltimore county, and the northern reaches of Baltimore. Cecil County was returned to its area, but Kent County remained in the first district. Carroll County was also put back in the second district. Thus the second district in 1873 was closer to that of 1853 than of 1871 in terms of the area within its boundaries.[8]

In 1890 there was a small portion of the city of Baltimore that was moved from the 4th district and placed in the 7th district. It appears this was in the general area where Freemont meets Fulton and then a little further south along Freemont.[9] These boundaries remained until the 1898 elections. In that year a few more north-west Baltimore neighborhoods were transferred from the 4th to the 2nd district, as well as a few north-central Baltimore neighborhoods.[10]

In 1902 another change was done to congressional district boundaries in Maryland. With the northward growth of population in Baltimore the 4th and 3rd districts boundaries were moved into areas previously in the 2nd district. however areas in north-west Baltimore that were closer to down-town were shifted into the 2nd district. Cecil County was moved to the first district. The arm of Baltimore County around Arbutus had long been in the 5th District but at this point it was transferred into the 2nd district.[11] These remained the boundaries of the 2nd district for the next 50 years.

In 1952 Maryland redrew its congressional districts because it had gained another seat in Congress. The 2nd district lost all of its area within the city of Baltimore, so it now consisted of Baltimore, Carroll and Harford Counties.[12]

In 1966 Maryland redrew its congressional districts to follow the rule of "One man, one vote". This was especially necessary since the state had been electing one of its congressmen at large in the previous two elections. A portion of Baltimore County along Baltimore's north-east border was removed from the 2nd district. The Arbutus section of Baltimore county was also removed from the district along with a slightly further north portion of the county reaching to about Garrison. Most of Carroll County was moved to the Maryland panhandle based 6th district.[13]

In 1972 Harford County was moved to the First District. The remaining portion of Carroll County was moved to the 6th district. However the Garrison area of Baltimore County, all of Baltimore county east of Baltimore and even a very small part of Baltimore itself were moved back into the second district.[13]

In 1982 some of the areas that had been in the 2nd district just north and west of Baltimore were moved into the Maryland Congressional 3rd District. Also at this time a part of Harford County was moved back into the 2nd congressional district.[14]

In 2012 the district was found to be the eleventh least compact congressional district in the United States.[15]

Recent elections

List of representatives

Name Took office Left office Party Notes/Events
1 Joshua Seney March 4, 1789 December 6, 1792 Anti-Administration resigned to become Chief Justice of Maryland's 3rd Judicial District
2 William Hindman January 30, 1793 March 3, 1793 Pro-Administration Redistricted to the 7th district
3 John Francis Mercer March 4, 1793 April 13, 1794 Anti-Administration Redistricted from the 3rd district, resigned
4 Gabriel Duvall November 11, 1794 March 3, 1795 Anti-Administration
March 4, 1795 March 28, 1796 Democratic-Republican Resigned after being appointed Chief Justice of General Court of Maryland
5 Richard Sprigg, Jr. May 5, 1796 March 3, 1799 Democratic-Republican
6 John Chew Thomas March 4, 1799 March 3, 1801 Federalist
7 Richard Sprigg, Jr. March 4, 1801 February 11, 1802 Democratic-Republican resigned
8 Walter Bowie March 24, 1802 March 3, 1805 Democratic-Republican
9 Leonard Covington March 4, 1805 March 3, 1807 Democratic-Republican
10 Archibald Van Horne March 4, 1807 March 3, 1811 Democratic-Republican
11 Joseph Kent March 4, 1811 March 3, 1815 Democratic-Republican
12 John Carlyle Herbert March 4, 1815 March 3, 1819 Federalist
13 Joseph Kent March 4, 1819 March 3, 1823 Democratic-Republican
March 4, 1823 March 3, 1825 Adams D-R
March 4, 1825 January 6, 1826 Adams resigned after being elected Governor
14 John Crompton Weems February 1, 1826 March 3, 1829 Jackson
15 Benedict Joseph Semmes March 4, 1829 March 3, 1833 Anti-Jackson
16 Richard Bennett Carmichael March 4, 1833 March 3, 1835 Jackson
17 James Alfred Pearce March 4, 1835 March 3, 1839 Whig
18 Philip Francis Thomas March 4, 1839 March 3, 1841 Democratic
19 James Alfred Pearce March 4, 1841 March 3, 1843 Whig
20 Francis Brengle March 4, 1843 March 3, 1845 Whig
21 Thomas Johns Perry March 4, 1845 March 3, 1847 Democratic
22 James Dixon Roman March 4, 1847 March 3, 1849 Whig
23 William Thomas Hamilton March 4, 1849 March 3, 1853 Democratic Redistricted to the 5th district
24 Jacob Shower March 4, 1853 March 3, 1855 Democratic
25 James Barroll Ricaud March 4, 1855 March 3, 1859 Know-Nothing
26 Edwin Hanson Webster March 4, 1859 March 3, 1861 Know-Nothing
March 4, 1861 March 3, 1863 Unionist
March 4, 1863 July, 1865 Unconditional Unionist
27 John Lewis Thomas Jr. December 4, 1865 March 3, 1867 Unconditional Unionist
28 Stevenson Archer March 4, 1867 March 3, 1875 Democratic
29 Charles Boyle Roberts March 4, 1875 March 3, 1879 Democratic
30 Joshua Frederick Cockey Talbott March 4, 1879 March 3, 1885 Democratic
31 Frank Thomas Shaw March 4, 1885 March 3, 1889 Democratic
32 Herman Stump March 4, 1889 March 3, 1893 Democratic
33 Joshua Frederick Cockey Talbott March 4, 1893 March 3, 1895 Democratic
34 William Benjamin Baker March 4, 1895 March 3, 1901 Republican
35 Albert Alexander Blakeney March 4, 1901 March 3, 1903 Republican
36 Joshua Frederick Cockey Talbott March 4, 1903 October 5, 1918 Democratic died
37 Carville Dickinson Benson November 5, 1918 March 3, 1921 Democratic
38 Albert Alexander Blakeney March 4, 1921 March 3, 1923 Republican
39 Millard Evelyn Tydings March 4, 1923 March 3, 1927 Democratic
40 William Purington Cole, Jr. March 4, 1927 March 3, 1929 Democratic
41 Linwood Leon Clark March 4, 1929 March 3, 1931 Republican
42 William Purington Cole, Jr. March 4, 1931 October 26, 1942 Democratic resigned to become judge of US Customs Court
43 Harry Streett Baldwin January 3, 1943 January 3, 1947 Democratic
44 Hugh Allen Meade January 3, 1947 January 3, 1949 Democratic
45 William P. Bolton January 3, 1949 January 3, 1951 Democratic
46 James Patrick Sinnott Devereux January 3, 1951 January 3, 1959 Republican
47 Daniel Baugh Brewster January 3, 1959 January 3, 1963 Democratic
48 Clarence Dickinson Long January 3, 1963 January 3, 1985 Democratic
49 Helen Delich Bentley January 3, 1985 January 3, 1995 Republican
50 Robert Leroy Ehrlich January 3, 1995 January 3, 2003 Republican
51 Charles Albert "Dutch" Ruppersberger III January 3, 2003 Present Democratic

Historical district boundaries

2003 - 2013

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Partisan Voting Index Districts of the 113th Congress: 2004 & 2008" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. 2012. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
  2. ↑ Parsons, Stanley B., William W. Beach and Dan Hermann. United States Congressional Districts 1788-1841 (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1978) p. 9
  3. ↑ Martis, Kenneth C. Historical Atlas of Political Parties in Congress. (New York: Macmillan, 1989) p. 76
  4. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 93
  5. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 97
  6. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 107
  7. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 117
  8. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 127.
  9. ↑ Historical Maps of Maryland
  10. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 155
  11. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas, p. 157.
  12. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 215
  13. 1 2 Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 217.
  14. ↑ Martis. Historical Atlas. p. 237
  15. ↑ Lazarick, Len (3 October 2012). "Maryland has least compact congressional districts in nation". MarylandReporter.com. Retrieved 7 October 2012.

Coordinates: 39°18′N 76°30′W / 39.3°N 76.5°W / 39.3; -76.5

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