The Political Landscape is Changing by Rev. Ellsworth Tolliver

The political landscape is changing. Ward boundaries and the recent selection of an Interim Mayor will cause the Town to rethink how it will be governed. More now than ever the disenfranchised marginalized communities must stand to be heard and recognized as racial and economic disparities will be set aside as the efforts to maintain the status quo of colonial domination will take on the forefront as the face and projected image of Chestertown.

While it is recognized the request of the ACLU to realign voting populations to ensure One Voice One Vote, it must also be recognized the reality of what will cause the retreat of those who already feel left out of the process, making it even more important the need for leadership that will seek to address the needs of all the people. The 14th Amendment requires equity for all the people, not just those who have the financial means to set the agenda and control the narrative designed to maintain imbalance of power.

Monday night’s vote and subsequent discussion was an example of how redistricting and social gerrymandering will have a negative effect of the disenfranchised and marginalized as that voice will be drowned out an ignored by those who seek to go along to get along.

Again, it is even more important that the fight continues to achieve equity to remain vigilant in the struggle against injustice and to demand that their voice continue to be heard.

Power To The People!

Rev. Ellsworth Tolliver
Ward 3 Councilmember

Samuel Shoge says

May 4, 2021 at 10:11 PM

Councilman Tolliver, your letter to the editor titled “The Political Landscape is Changing” has left me somewhat confused and I’m hoping you can follow up with some clarification on key issues.

It appears your attempt to cast doubt on the recent redistricting process the Town underwent, runs headlong into the narrative I believe you are trying to establish for yourself as we draw closer to the Chestertown mayoral election. Whereas you’re branding yourself as a racial justice champion (I think?), claiming the redistricting of Chestertown’s wards will somehow cause the further “retreat of those who already feel left out of the process” is woefully contradictory to the thoughts and opinions expressed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Kent County NAACP, organizations that have decades-long experience in advancing racial equity initiatives.

One Man, One Vote enhances the voices of those who are underrepresented—the ones you say are being left out of the process—by leveling the playing field in which their elected officials are attempting to do constituent and legislative service. In fact, as the Ward 3 councilman, redistricting benefits you and the residents of Ward 3 dramatically. Ward 3 had grown cumbersomely large compared to Chestertown’s other wards. Theoretically, this put the residents of Ward 3 at a disadvantage because there were more residents being represented by an elected official whose vote carried the same weight as other elected officials who were representing wards that had smaller populations. In addition, The ACLU laid out guidelines to ensure Chestertown’s African American vote wasn’t being diluted by splitting the black voting strength across multiple wards.

The redistricting committee—the same committee that I served on in addition to other African Americans from Chestertown’s Wards—worked diligently with a very talented group of committee members from across Chestertown, town staff, and the ACLU to rebalance Chestertown’s wards (a process that hasn’t been done in more than 25 years) and ensure that a ward had sufficient black voting strength to better guarantee an opportunity for a black leader to emerge (a narrative you spoke out against in a January 2020 town council meeting).

You end your letter with “Power to the People” when in fact, it was the redistricting process and the democratically appointed redistricting committee (a committee that you appointed two members to) that actually gave power to the people by addressing a problem head on that had been overlooked for decades. We crafted a solution that ensured One Man, One Vote and advanced racial and electoral equity.

I conclude by asking for additional clarification regarding what you are attempting to get at with your statement.

Letters to Editor

Samuel Shoge says

May 4, 2021 at 10:11 PM

Councilman Tolliver, your letter to the editor titled “The Political Landscape is Changing” has left me somewhat confused and I’m hoping you can follow up with some clarification on key issues.

It appears your attempt to cast doubt on the recent redistricting process the Town underwent, runs headlong into the narrative I believe you are trying to establish for yourself as we draw closer to the Chestertown mayoral election. Whereas you’re branding yourself as a racial justice champion (I think?), claiming the redistricting of Chestertown’s wards will somehow cause the further “retreat of those who already feel left out of the process” is woefully contradictory to the thoughts and opinions expressed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Kent County NAACP, organizations that have decades-long experience in advancing racial equity initiatives.

One Man, One Vote enhances the voices of those who are underrepresented—the ones you say are being left out of the process—by leveling the playing field in which their elected officials are attempting to do constituent and legislative service. In fact, as the Ward 3 councilman, redistricting benefits you and the residents of Ward 3 dramatically. Ward 3 had grown cumbersomely large compared to Chestertown’s other wards. Theoretically, this put the residents of Ward 3 at a disadvantage because there were more residents being represented by an elected official whose vote carried the same weight as other elected officials who were representing wards that had smaller populations. In addition, The ACLU laid out guidelines to ensure Chestertown’s African American vote wasn’t being diluted by splitting the black voting strength across multiple wards.

The redistricting committee—the same committee that I served on in addition to other African Americans from Chestertown’s Wards—worked diligently with a very talented group of committee members from across Chestertown, town staff, and the ACLU to rebalance Chestertown’s wards (a process that hasn’t been done in more than 25 years) and ensure that a ward had sufficient black voting strength to better guarantee an opportunity for a black leader to emerge (a narrative you spoke out against in a January 2020 town council meeting).

You end your letter with “Power to the People” when in fact, it was the redistricting process and the democratically appointed redistricting committee (a committee that you appointed two members to) that actually gave power to the people by addressing a problem head on that had been overlooked for decades. We crafted a solution that ensured One Man, One Vote and advanced racial and electoral equity.

I conclude by asking for additional clarification regarding what you are attempting to get at with your statement.

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We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.