Since 1798 St. Mary's County government has functioned within the framework of election districts. Constables, justices of the peace, road supervisors, road inspectors, election officers, assessors, and tax collectors were some of the county officials chosen for each district. County commissioner representation, voter registration, and jury selection represent countians' participation in county government within the election-district framework. Election districts determine the location of polling places, and votes are cast and tabulated by district.
The nine election districts of St. Mary's County have been the political divisions of the county since 1884. Their evolution from the original three districts created in 1798 to the present nine was legislated as follows:
1806 Four districts
1822 Five districts
1856 Six districts
1876 Seven districts
1878 Eight districts
1884 Nine districts
The law establishing the election-district system in the county of Maryland was enacted in 1798. The law noted that the inconvenience of holding election in only one place in a county deprived many of their right of suffrage "and it is desirable that the full, free, and fair voice of the people shall be expressed in their choice of the functionaries of government." The law decreed that "for the purpose of holding all future elections for delegates, electors of the senate and sheriffs … the counties shall be divided into separate districts." The law stipulated that St. Mary's County be divided into three districts.
That act was confirmed in 1799, and commissioners were appointed to divide, determine the boundaries, and number the districts of each county. The commissioners named for St. Mary's County were Henry Gardiner, George Plater, Charles Chilton, Richard Watts, and Benjamin Williams.
Obviously the commissioners delayed in completing their assignment. A law enacted in 1801 noted that the "… election districts in St. Mary's County have not been laid off by the commissioners appointed… apportioned according to population and a convenient polling place chosen…" The same 1801 legislation named James Hopewell, Richard Watts, Harry Waughop, Walter Leigh, and Benjamin Williams as a new commission to "review, alter, and designate the districts" of St. Mary's County.
Unfortunately, no county map showing the dividing lines between the districts survives for the three-district era. However, there is a record of the three polling places. An extant document of local election returns contains the following information: " … whereas an election of two persons for sheriff of St. Mary's County … held the first Monday in October, 18009, in the first, second, and third districts at Leonardtown, Chaptico, and Elizabeth Heights…" (The Elizabeth Heights referred to was probably "Elizabeth Hills," property located on the Indian Bridge Road near Great Mills.)
Another district was created in 1806 following a "petition by sundry inhabitants of St. Mary's County … suffering inconvenience for want of a 4th district." The new district was laid off "adjoining and between the first and third district as they are now numbered." In 1816 the polling place for that newly created district, district number two, was changed. The 1816 legislation stated that "… the judges of elections for the second election district are authorized to hold elections in said district in such house at the Clifton Factory as may appear to them most convenient."
In 1822 a law providing for the creation of the fifth district was enacted. The legislation stipulated that the fifth district "… shall be taken and laid from the fourth election district as they are now numbered." The following year legislation provided for a commission to lay off the fifth district and stipulated that Chaptico and Charlotte Hall be the places of election in the fourth and fifth election districts.
In March of 1831 the St. Mary's County courthouse burned, and most of the county records housed there were consumed by the tragic fire. The legislature appointed a commission to ascertain and describe the bounds of St. Mary's County election districts and to report that information to the Clerk of the St. Mary's County Court before August 1, 1832. That 1832 description of the boundaries of St. Mary's County's five election districts is quoted in its entirety below.
Saint Mary's County to wit: By virtue of an act of the General Assembly of Maryland passed at December session Eighteen hundred and thirty one Chapter 190 entitled A further supplement to the act entitled an act to regulate Elections, We the Subscribers a majority of the Commissioners therein named and appointed Commissioners to ascertain and describe the bounds of the Several Election Districts of St. Mary's County as undestood to be the bounds described in the return made under and by virtue of the and of the assembly to which the said act is a supplement have ascertained the boundaries of the Several Election Districts and hereby describe the Divisional lines as follows to wit: The divisional lines between Election District No. one and No. two, begins at the head of the vinyard Marsh on St. Mary's River and running thence with a straight line to the corner of Thomas Sanner's fence on the main road, thence with said road to the old blacksmith shop standing at the forks of said road and the three notched road leaving in District No. two the residence of John Peake, thence from said Blacksmith shop with a straight line through the farms of the late Elijah Tarlton and James Forrest to the Chesapeake Bay. The Divisional line between Election Districts No. two and No. three begins at the head of Cuckholds Creek near Charles Chilton's mill running thence up the branch between Hezekiah Dent and John B. Burroughs, thence between Enoch Hammett and Joseph Davis's farms, thence to St. Andrew's Church thence with the road leading to Leonard Town to the Western Branch, thence with said Branch between Matthew Norris and Charles G. Norris's thence with said Branch down to John Peake's farm leaving out the dwelling of said farm in District No. two, thence between Stephen Adams' and Jonathan Ridgel's to the main road, thence through John Hagers farm leaving his dwelling in District No. three then with a straight line to the head of Poplar Hill Creek. Divisional line between Election Districts No. three and four begins at the head of Saint Clements Bay and running thence with the road leading by St. Joseph's Church leaving said church on the right then by Richard G. B. Bonds, also on the right, thence by the old red Church leaving the said Church on the right, thence to a road distant from the red church about half a mile thence with said road to the three notched road near Hawkins Hays leaving said Hays on the right then to Patuxent through William Reeders leaving the house on the right and leaving the said Reeders tenement on the river now occupied by the widow Bennett on the left. Divisional line between Election District No. four and five begins at Patuxent River Near Hawkins Hays' where the line of the Leonard Town District crosses the three notched road, running from thence with the three notched road until it intersects a road which crosses the three notched road leading from all faith church to Chaptico about a mile and a half to the head of a branch on the north side of James Herbert's house and running down with said branch until it intercepts the Chaptico swamp a little abouve Col. Neales old mill dam and running down with said swamp until it comes to a swamp which empties into the Chaptico swamp leading from James Cawoods old mill from thence up with said swamp until it intersects the main road leading from Charlotte Hall to Chaptico (generally called the middle road) from thence with said road leading to Chaptico to the forks of the road on the hill and from thence with the right hand fork leading by John Watson's to the Charles County line at Mr. Brookbanks bridge leaving all on the left of said road and swamp in the Chaptico District and all on the right in Charlotte Hall District. Given under our hands and seal this 31 day of July 1832.
James Kirk
S. Gough
Joseph Dunbar
During the 1822-1856 period there were five election districts in St. Mary's County. They were identified by the following names: St. Inigoes, Factory, Leonardtown, Chaptico, and Charlotte Hall.
The sixth election district was established in 1856. Richard H. Reeder, Chapman Billingsley, and Thomas W. Gough were appointed commissioners to lay off the sixth district and to choose the polling place for that district. The bounds of the sixth district were described in the 1856 legislation as follows:
… boundaries shall commence at the Horse landing on the Patuxent River thence in most direct line to St. Joseph Church thence with said road by Bond's store until it intersects the Rich Neck Road thence across Rich Neck Swamp with said main road to its junction with the Mackintosh road near M. Joy's farm thence from said junction in the most direct route to the division line of the second and third election district thence with said division line and up the Patuxent River to the place of the beginning.
The sixth election district was called Patuxent.
In 1876 an act was passed creating the seventh election district. This district was formed by dividing the fourth election district as follows:
… beginning at the crossing of St. Clements Bay Run, by the stage road, and running thence with said stage road towards Chaptico until it reaches the north-east end or corner of 'Neales' Lot' on said stage road, thence by a direct line to the head waters of Bramly Creek thence by the waters of the Wicomico and Potomac Rivers and St. Clement's Bay to the beginning including the several islands contiguous to the last described waters … so much of the fourth election district as is not included within the aforesaid lines, shall continue to be known as the fourth election district… voting place in the fourth district Chaptico … in the seventh district at or near Milestown.
Two years later legislation changed the dividing line between the fourth and fifth election districts. The new dividing line was described in this way:
That portion of the fourth election district of St. Mary's County lying north of a straight line starting from a point at which the road leading from the Three Notch road to St. Joseph Church, known as the Forrest Hall road, intersects the Three Notch road, running thence north eighty eight degrees, west three and one-half miles, to the junction of Sothoron's run with the northwest branch of Chaptico bay, be and the same is hereby taken from said fourth district of said county and added to and included in the limits of the fifth election district of said county.
Another change legislated in 1878 was the creation of the eighth district. The new district was formed by dividing the second election district as follows:
So much of the second election district of St. Mary's County as lies on the northeast side of the following lines shall be known as the 'Bay' or Eighth Election District; that is to say beginning at the line of the third election district where the same is intersected by what is known as the 'Western Branch' and running with said branch to the head of St. Mary's river, thence with said river to the line of the first election district, and the voting place in said eighth election district shall be 'Centerville' … place of voting or remaining second district shall be at or near the 'Oak Store.'
Legislation enacted in 1882 changed the lines between the fourth and seventh election districts as follows:
That as much of the Fourth Election District of St. Mary's County as is included in the following lines shall hereafter be known as the Seventh Election District, that is to say; Beginning at the crossing of St. Clement's bay run by the stage road, and running thence with said stage road toward Chaptico, until it reaches the northeast end or corner of 'Neal's lot,' on said stage road; thence by a direct line to the headwaters of 'Notley Hall creek'; thence by the waters of the Wicomico and Potomac Rivers and St. Clement's bay to the beginning.
The last, and by far the smallest, election district was created in 1884 when St. George's Island was separated from the second election district to form the ninth district. That 1884 legislation reads, "That a new election district be formed out of St. George's Island, a part of the Factory district, or election district number two… to be known as the Island district, or election district number nine… the place of holding elections in number nine district be at Adams' store."
The last alteration in the district lines occurred in 1888. Legislation enacted in that year stipulated that the line between the fifth and sixth districts be changed to run as follows: "Beginning at Turner's store situated on the three notch road, and running with said road to the road leading from said three notch road and through the lands of G.W.L. Buckler and W.C. Reeder to a place called and known as 'Horse Landing' on the Patuxent river."
In 1902 commissioners were appointed to re-survey and mark the St. Mary's -- Charles County line, but from 1888 to 1990 the internal boundaries of the St. Mary's County election districts have remained the same.
Reference: History of St. Mary's County © 1991
Regina Combs Hammett, PO Box 393, Ridge MD 20680