Democracy by Design? More Like Districts by Design: Andy Ellis Says Maryland Voters Are Being Played
Let’s play pretend for a second. Imagine you live in a state where your vote doesn’t really count—not because you didn’t show up, but because the district lines were drawn so absurdly, they practically whisper:
“Your opinion is irrelevant.”
Welcome to Maryland.
Andy Ellis, the Green Party’s 2026 gubernatorial candidate, isn’t mincing words:
“Maryland’s elections aren’t broken. They’re rigged. On purpose. For decades. And both parties are in on it.”
And guess what? He’s right.
How Gerrymandering Became Maryland’s Favorite Pastime
We’re not talking about a few curvy lines. Maryland has some of the most infamous congressional maps in the country. Like District 3, which has been described (by actual judges) as looking like a blood splatter in a crime scene.
Why the chaos? Simple: to protect incumbents and silence challengers.
Safe Democratic seats in urban centers.
Safe Republican zones in rural pockets.
No room for independents. No competition. No accountability.
“Your state senator hasn’t answered an email in eight years? That’s because they don’t have to,” Ellis says. “They’ve never faced a real race.”
Your Vote Matters… Unless It’s In the Wrong District
In Maryland, general elections are often a formality. The real election happens in the primary—where only party members get to vote. So if you’re unaffiliated, independent, Green, Libertarian, Forward, or just a human with questions, tough luck.
“The system was built to make sure only the people in the club get to choose,” Ellis says. “The rest of us just get to clap at the coronation.”
And if your “representative” was appointed rather than elected? Even worse. There are legislators who’ve sat in office for nearly a decade without ever being chosen by voters in a competitive election.
Redistricting Theater: A Masterclass in Fake Reform
Every few years, Annapolis hosts its favorite political production: “Redistricting Reform.”
They gather commissions. They release maps. They hold “public hearings.” Then they... draw the same power-protecting maps anyway.
“They love pretending to fix the problem,” Ellis says, “because fixing it would mean losing power. And we can’t have that.”
And just like that, they move a few lines around and declare democracy restored. Meanwhile, nothing changes.
Ellis’ Fix: More Voices, Real Competition, Actual Democracy
Ellis isn’t just shouting into the void. He’s proposing bold solutions:
Citizen-led ballot initiatives so voters can bypass the politicians entirely
Nonpartisan redistricting commissions with teeth
Open primaries so independents can actually vote in the elections that matter
Ballot access reform so voters have choices, not coronations
“If we want a functioning democracy, we need more than blue and red map markers. We need real competition,” he argues.
When Elections Are Engineered, Voter Apathy Isn’t a Mystery
People say voter turnout is low because citizens are lazy.
Nope.
People don’t vote because they know the outcome is already written—in Sharpie—by a map drawn in a backroom.
Ellis wants to erase that Sharpie.
Final Thought: If You’ve Been Zoned Into Irrelevance, You’re Not Alone
Andy Ellis is running to break the cycle—to blow the whistle on the map riggers, party bosses, and district designers who have turned Maryland into a democracy theme park: lots of flags, no real freedom.
So if you’ve ever wondered why your district looks like it was drawn during a seizure, and why your vote hasn’t changed a thing in 20 years, Andy Ellis has your answer.
“It’s not dysfunction. It’s design.”