THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO ENRICH THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR STATE AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

CONNECTING MARYLANDERS TO THEIR GOVERNMENT, THIS IS "STATE CIRCLE".

>> Jeff: WELCOME TO "STATE CIRCLE".

JUST AHEAD ON OUR PROGRAM THIS WEEK, HOW MANY MARYLAND LEGISLATORS HAVE NEVER APPEARED ON A BALLOT?

>>> AND CHRISTMAS YULETIDE FESTIVITIES AT HAMPTON NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.

>>> A STUNNING PIECE OF DNA DETECTIVE WORK REMAINS WERE ANALYZED REVEALING THE PEOPLE ENSLAVED AND THROUGH MODERN DNA DATA BASES PROVIDING LINKS TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THEIR LIVING RELATIVES PEOPLE WHO KNOW LITTLE OR NOTHING OF THOSE ANCESTORS.

NANCY AMATTA HAS OUR REPORT.

>> I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY HIS NAME AND TELL HIS STORY.

IT'S BEEN KIND OF -- WHAT IS THE WORD?

>> CRYSTAL EMORY IS A PROUD DECENTENT OF ROBERT PATTERSON HE HE WAS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN WHOSE REMAINS ARE POSSIBLY IN A CEMETERY WITH ENSLAVED AND FREED BLACK MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN DISCOVERED BURIED ON THE GROUNDS OF AN 18TH SCENERY IRON WORKS.

>> WERE YOU SURPRISED TO LRN THAT YOU HAD AFRICAN-AMERICAN ANCESTRY?

>> NO.

MY GRANDPARENTS ON THE OTHER SIDE THEY DID NOT LIKE ME.

THEY WERE VERY EMBARRASSED BY IT.

>> NOT EMORY.

>> OUR BLOOD ALL WE BLEEDS THE SAME.

>> SHE MAYBE A LIVING RELATIVE DRINKLY LINKED TO THE HUMAN REMAINS WHICH STARTED OPERATING IN 1776.

THE CEMETERY WAS DISCOVERED IN 1979, AHEAD OF A HIGHWAY EXPANSION PROJECT.

>> SO THAT IS THE DISCOVERY THAT WE, THEN, BEGAN REANALYZING 11 YEARS AGO.

>> ELIZABETH COMER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE FURNACE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WHICH IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING HISTORY AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THROUGH THEIR MUSEUM AND BLACKSMITH SHOP.

>> OVER THE DECADES, WE HAVE 271 NAMES THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER OF THE ENSLAVED WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN WORKING HERE.

>> WITH THE HELP OF SMITHSONIAN RESEARCHERS WHO STUDIED THE REPAINS THEY KNOW THE AND SLAVED WORKERS WERE SKILLED AND WHILE WERE TRAFFICKED WITH GRUELING AND PAINFUL WORK.

>> THE BONES TELL THAT STORY COMPLETELY AND FULLY.

THERE WAS SO MUCH INAHALATION OF HEAVY METALS, BUT JUST THE HARD WORK OF CHOPPING AND MINING AND USING A PICK ACTS, WE HAVE PICK AXE WE HAVE IN THE MUSEUM ONE OF THE FORENSIC FACIAL RECONSTRUCTIONS IS A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO DIED AND HIS BACKBONE HIS VERTEBRAE IS ALREADY COMPRESSED AT THE AGE OF 15.

WHICH IS THE RESULT OF CONTINUOUS, HARD, REPETITIVE LABOR.

>> RESEARCHERS AT THE SMITHSONIAN MADE GENETIC SEQUENCES FROM SAMPLES OF THE BONES.

THEY WERE MADE PUBLIC AND COMPARED TO THE DNA THROUGH 23 AND ME.

>> WE'RE JUST THRILLED THIS IS NOW POSSIBLE.

AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING.

WE SEE THIS AS REPAIR ACTIVE ACTION.

WE SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK ALBEIT, A SMALL WAY.

BUT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GIVE BACK TO A POPULATION THAT HAS HAD SO MUCH TAKEN FROM THEM.

TO NOT REALIZE TO HAVE THAT HISTORY COMPLETELY SEVERED FROM YOUR FAMILY HISTORY, IS SO UNFAIR.

>> AS FOR EMORY... >> I'VE BEEN ASKED WHY I DO MY FAMILY HISTORY AND THE MAIN REASON IS BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I CAME FROM AND WHO I WAS.

BUT THIS ONE HAS BECOME ESPECIALLY DEAR TO MY HEART, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO FIND RECORDS ON THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ENSLAVED.

THERE'S NO BIRTH RECORDS.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE INSURRECTION NAMES SOMETIMES.

THEY WEREN'T IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND IF I CAN MAKE THEM IMPORTANT TO ME, THAT MIGHT MAKE THEM IMPORTANT TO SOMEONE ELSE.

>> I'M NANCY AMATTA FOR "STATE CIRCLE".

>> Jeff: THANK YOU.

JOINING US NOW JENNOLOGIST ARI WILKINS OF BLACK GENESIS.COM.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE HAVE LOTS TO TALK ABOUT.

BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK YOU FIRST ABOUT THE PICTURES BEHIND YOU, IS THERE A STORY THERE?

>> YES, THERE IS.

BEFORE I EVEN GOT STARTED IN GENEALOGY MY GRANDFATHER USED TO ALWAYS TAKE US TO HIS HOMETOWN AND THE HOUSE HE GREW UP IN.

AND EVERY TIME HE WOULD TAKE US TO THE FRONT HALL THERE WERE ALL OF THESE PICTURES IN THE FRONT HALL AND HE WOULD TELL US WHO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WERE.

AND I WOULD ROLL MY EYES NOT REALLY BE PAYING ATTENTION.

WEE MY GRANDFATHER PASSED AWAY IN '98, IT BECAME MY WHOLE MISSION IN LIFE TO START TO WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING THAT HE WAS TELLING ME.

AND LEARN REALLY WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

AND LEARN WHAT THEY DID IN LIFE.

AND SO AS PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THAT HOME AND PEOPLE NO LONGER LIVE IN IT, I HAVE INHERITED ALL OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

AND SO THESE ARE ALL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS.

>> Jeff: WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES IN DOING YOUR OWN FAMILY'S RESEARCH?

>> THERE ARE LOTS OF CHALLENGES.

I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING FOR PROBABLY THE LAST 25 YEARS.

AND I HAVE SOME LINES THAT ARE VERY EASY LINES.

MY FATHER'S LINES COME ALL FROM THE SAME AREA IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

HIS LINES ARE BEAUTIFUL.

MY MOTHER'S LINES, THEY CAN HAVE UNIQUE SURNAMES BUT THEY ARE SO HARD TO TRACE.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT LINES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.

>> Jeff: ONE THING I READ A QUOTE IN RESEARCHING THIS, THE QUOTE WAS THAT ONE EFFECT OF SLAVERY IS THAT IT ROBBED BLACK PEOPLE OF THEIR PAST.

AND THAT WHEN YOU ARE DOING RESEARCH AND YOU GET BACK TO THE CIVIL WAR ERA, THERE'S JUST NOTHING BEFORE THAT.

IS THAT WHAT YOU FIND?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT A LOT OF RESEARCHERS HIT THE 1870 BRICK WALL.

SO COMING INTO RECONSTRUCTION AND 1870, THAT'S WHERE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DOCUMENTATION.

AND 1870 REPRESENTS THE FIRST UNITED STATES CENSUS THAT COUNTED ALL AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE.

BEFORE THAT TIME, THE CENSUS COUNTED IT FREE AFRICAN-AMERICANS ON THE REGULAR CENSUS AND THEN THEY COUNTED ENSLAVED AFRICAN-AMERICANS ON THE SLAVE SCHEDULES.

BUT THEY WERE LISTED BISECTS AND BY COLOR AND BY AGE.

SO THEY WERE NAMELESS PROPERTY.

AND THAT'S WHERE OUR BIGGEST HURDLE IS AFRICAN-AMERICANS BEING DOCUMENTED AS PROPERTY.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO YOUR RESEARCH WHERE YOU ARE SEARCHING THE ENSLAVER'S RECORDS, LOOKING FOR DOCUMENTATION OF HIS ENSLAVED POPULATION, ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU MIGHT FIND MORE INFORMATION.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS THAT LIKE EMOTIONALLY FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE COME TO YOU WITH HELP ON A PROJECT WHERE YOU ARE SEEING THE EVIDENCE FIRSTHAND OF WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ANCESTORS?

>> IT CAN BE A VERY HEAVY PROCESS TO GO THROUGH THAT RESEARCH.

AND IT'S VERY TRAUMATIC.

AS YOU ARE READING THROUGH THIS, YOU ALMOST FEEL LIKE YOU ARE EXPERIENCING WHAT THAT PERSON IS EXPERIENCING AND IT'S ALMOST EVEN -- I CAN'T SAY IT'S WORSE, BUT TO WATCH IT FROM A RESEARCHER'S PERSPECTIVE WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE ENSLAVER IS ABOUT TO DO IN HIS WRITING OR THE WAY HIS FINANCES ARE GOING, THE ENSLAVED PERSON MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN KNOWN ALL OF THIS IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN OR YOU'RE BEING USED AS COLLATERAL.

BUT I MEAN IT GIVES YOU ANXIETY.

IT'S TRAGIC.

YOU MOURN FOR THE ENTIRE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THESE RECORDS.

>> Jeff: I THINK ABOUT THAT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT THE FURNACE IN MARYLAND.

AND THE SLAVE DNA THAT HAS BEEN ANALYZED, I GUESS THEY HAVE NOT YET REACHED OUT TO THE PEOPLE IN THE 23 AND ME DATABASE WHO MAY BE RELATED, SOME OBVIOUS ETHICS CONCERNS WITH THE WHOLE THING.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE IF AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES THAT THESE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE NOTIFIED IT'S GOING TO BE AN EMOTIONAL THING BECAUSE YOU CAN TELL FROM THE EVIDENCE AT THE SMITHSONIAN HOW THESE PEOPLE SUFFERED?

>> DEFINITELY.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EMOTIONAL.

I ALSO THINK IT'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO THESE PEOPLE WHO THESE NAMELESS PEOPLE WERE.

AND HOW PEOPLE CAN BE RELATED TO THEM.

>> Jeff: WHAT'S BEEN THE IMPACT OF THE PBS SHOW THE HENRY LEWIS GATES SHOW, FINDING YOUR ROOTS?

I WOULD IMAGINE IT HAS INCREASED INTEREST IN YOUR FIELD AND MAYBE AT THE SAME TIME ALSO LED PEOPLE TO THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EASY STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS?

>> I THINK IT LEADS TO A LOT OF REALLY GREAT INTEREST IN OUR FIELD.

AND PEOPLE SEE IF THIS CAN HAPPEN ON TV, THIS CAN HAPPEN FOR ME ALSO.

I THINK IT'S GREAT THE WAY IT INSPIRES PEOPLE TO DO RESEARCH.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I ALWAYS WANT TO TELL MY RESEARCHERS THAT THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL RESEARCHERS THAT YOU SEE ON TV THAT IT MIGHT TAKE SIX MONTHS TO MAYBE EVEN TWO YEARS FOR WHAT YOU SEE IN THAT 45-MINUTE SEGMENT.

SO I ALWAYS TELL MY RESEARCHERS NUMBER ONE THEY REALLY NEED TO BE PATIENT AS THEY ARE RESEARCHING.

AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN ME MORE THAN 10 OR 20 YEARS TO DISCOVER AND I'M STILL NOT FINISHED RESEARCHING.

I TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU SEE ON TV, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE DOING ON-LINE RESEARCH, THAT CLICK OF A BUTTON MAY GIVE YOU SOME HINTS THEY MAY GIVE YOU GREAT LEADS, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU YOUR ENTIRE GENEALOGY IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

AND SO PEOPLE REALLY HAVE TO BE PATIENT.

AND THEY HAVE TO BE -- THEY HAVE TO WANT TO DO THE RESEARCH.

AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT GENEALOGY, ALWAYS, IT'S THE THRILL OF THE HUNT.

I MEAN AS SOON AS YOU FIND A GREAT DETAIL, WHETHER IT'S ME SITTING HERE AT 2:00 A.M. AND I FIND THIS REALLY GREAT DOCUMENT THAT TELLS ME ALL ABOUT MY FAMILY THEN I'M LIKE IF I FOUND THIS, WHAT CAN I FIND NEXT?

IT'S ALWAYS THE THRILL OF THE HUNT.

HOW MUCH MORE CAN I BUILD OUT.

>> Jeff: BEFORE WE GO, GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF ADVICE IF THERE'S SOMEBODY WATCHING THINKING ABOUT EMBARKING ON LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEIR ROOTS, WHAT MAYBE SOME FREE RESOURCES YOU CAN START WITH?

>> SURE.

FAMILY SEARCH.ORG IS RUN BY THE LATTER DAY SAINTS THE CHURCH FOR THE LATTER DAY SAINTS AND THAT IS A FREE SITE YOU CAN START YOUR RESEARCH ON.

YOU CAN BUILD AN ON-LINE FAMILY TREE ON THAT WEBSITE.

ANCESTRY.COM, YOU CAN ACCESS PARTS OF IT FOR FREE.

BUT YOU CAN GO TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY AND USE THEIR SUBSCRIPTION TO ALSO RESEARCH.

>> ARI WILKINS OF BLACK GENESIS.COM.

GREAT TALKING WITH YOU AGAIN.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THNK YOU.

>> WHEN THE MARYLAND LEGISLATURE RECONVENES NEXT MONTH THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF FACES IN NEW PLACES.

THIS WEEK, NICK CHARLES WAS SWORN INTO THE STATE SENATE.

THE FORMER DELEGATE FILLING THE SEAT LEFT OPEN WHEN MELANIE GRIFFITH TOOK A POSITION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

ONE ISSUE BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE WHETHER TO CHANGE THE PROCESS FOR FILLING VACANCIES.

JOINING US NOW ARE JOANNE ANTOINE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMON CAUSE MARYLAND AND EMILY SCARR, STATE DIRECTOR MARYLAND FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP OR PIRG.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

YOU WERE INVOLVED IN A POLL ON THIS ISSUE AND IT FOUND THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEM WASN'T VERY POPULAR.

WHAT WAS THE POLL QUESTION AND WHAT WERE THE RESULTS?

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU WERE INVOLVED IN A RECENT POLL ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER MARYLAND SHOULD KEEP THE CURRENT SYSTEM FOR FILLING LEGISLATIVE VACANCIES.

TELL US ABOUT THE POLL AND THE RESULTS?

>> SO THE POLL QUESTION I CAN READ IT WAS IN MARYLAND, WHEN A VACANCY OCCURS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THE SEAT IS FILLED BY A RECOMMENDATION OF THE LOCAL POLITICAL PARTY.

AS A RESULT, NEARLY A THIRD OF CURRENT MARYLAND STATE LEGISLATORS WERE APPOINTED TO THEIR POSITION NOT ELECTED.

DO YOU FAVOR THE CONTINUATION OF THIS LOCAL PARTY RECOMMENDATION PROCESS OR PREFER INSTEAD THAT SPECIAL ELECTIONS BE HELD TO FILL THE VACANCY.

AND THE POLL FOUND THAT ACROSS THE STATE REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION, AGE, GENDER, RACE, GEOGRAPHY, A FULL 85% OF MARYLANDERS FAVOR HAVING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL LEGISLATIVE VACANCIES AND 13% WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THAT PRACTICE OF HAVING LOCAL POLITICAL PARTIES FILL LEGISLATIVE VACANCIES.

>> Jeff: WHAT DO YOU TAKEAWAY FROM THE POLL RESULTS?

>> I'M NOT SURPRISED.

I THINK MOST VOTERS -- I ARGUE ALL -- BUT MOST VOTERS WANT TO HAVE A SAY IN WHO IS ELECTING THEM AND THIS IDEA THAT THERE'S A SMALL BODY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LEFT TO MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THOUSANDS OF FOLKS IN A DISTRICT TO THE AVERAGE VOTER ONCE THEY HEAR THAT AND UNDERSTAND THEY THINK THAT IT'S THE WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT FILLING THE VACANCIES.

>> Jeff: TELL US HOW THE CURRENT SYSTEM WORKS?

THE POLL QUESTION DIDN'T PAINT A FLATTERING PICTURE PUT WHAT HAPPENS?

>> IT VARIES A LITTLE BIT HOW DIFFERENT COUNTIES MANAGE IT.

BASICALLY LOCAL CENTRAL COMMITTEES ELECTED BY VOTERS THERE IS A DEMOCRATIC AND A REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE ACROSS DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.

IN BALTIMORE CITY MY DISTRICT HAS A CENTRAL COMMITTEE IF THERE WAS A VACANCY IN MY DISTRICT THAT COMMITTEE WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHO TO FILL THE VACANCY TO THE GOVERNOR.

IN COUNTIES LIKE MONTGOMERY COUNTY OR PRINCE GEORGE'S IT'S THAT COUNTY-WIDE CENTRAL COMMITTEE THAT MAKES THAT DECISION TO SEND TO THE GOVERNOR.

AND EACH COUNTY DISTRICT HAS THEIR OWN SET OF RULES FOR WHAT THE PROCESS IS LIKE.

IS IT PUBLIC?

IS IT PRIVATE?

CAN ANYONE APPLY?

DO THEY HAVE AN INTERVIEW PROCESS.

ET CETERA.

WOULD YOU ADD ANYTHING?

>> YOU DID.

I GUESS THE ONLY THING I THAT I WOULD ADD IS REGARDLESS OF HOW THE JURISDICTION HOLDS THEIR PROCESS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY HAS A PUBLIC FORUM FOR EXAMPLE.

THERE IS NO FUNDING BEING INVESTED INTO REACHING ALL OF THE VOTERS IN THE COUNTY OR IN THAT DISTRICT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.

AND THAT AT LEAST THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH-IN.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS IS BAD FOR DEMOCRACY SOMEHOW?

IT'S NOT AS IF THE APPOINTMENT COMES COMPLETELY APART FROM THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE LOCAL CENTRAL COMMITTEES HAVE, IN FACT, BEEN ELECTED BY VOTERS.

SO THERE'S AT LEAST AN INDIRECT DEMOCRATIC ELEMENT HERE.

>> YEAH.

THE TECHNICAL THING I WOULD SAY IS ONLY MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL PARTY OF THE VACANCY ARE REPRESENTED IN THAT PROCESS.

IN MARYLAND, INDEPENDENT VOTERS, OUTNUMBER DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

AND THOSE VOTERS HAVE NO SAY WHO IS ON A CENTRAL COMMITTEE.

OR REPUBLICAN VOTERS IN A DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS HAVE NO SAY OVER WHO IS IN THAT CENTRAL COMMITTEE.

SO ON THOSE MERITS IT IS UNDEMOCRATIC BECAUSE THERE IS A LARGE SWATH OF MARYLANDERS LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS AND THE OTHER IS MORE SOFT IT IS A PERCEPTION ISSUE.

WE WANT A DEMOCRACY WHERE THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS IS WE ELECT WHO IS IN CHARGE OF US.

AND THE IDEA THAT A SMALL SET OF PARTY INSIDERS ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, EXACERBATES PEOPLE'S FEELING THAT GOVERNMENT HAPPENS IN A BLACK BOX.

ONLY PEOPLE WITH ACCESS, INFLUENCE OR MONEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO DECISIONS.

THAT IS HARDER TO MEASURE OR QUANTIFY.

BUT IT'S ALWAYS MORE DEMOCRATIC TO LET PEOPLE VOTE.

>> I'D SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH VOTERS ARE LIKE VOTE THE CENTRAL COMMITTEEMEMBERS IN SOME INSTANCES NOT ALL OF THEM THEY ARE ON THE BALLOT.

THE AVERAGE VOTER DOESN'T KNOW THIS INDIVIDUAL OR THIS SEAT RIGHT HERE MIGHT ACTUALLY END UP FILLING A VACANCY.

A LOT OF TIMES SOME PEOPLE DON'T MAKE IT THAT FAR DOWN THE BALLOT IN ORDER TO WEIGH-IN ON WHO SHOULD SERVE IN THAT SEAT.

I DON'T THINK THE VOTER UNDERSTANDS MOST VOTERS I'D SAY DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEES IN THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT ALL.

>> Jeff: JOANNE, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE WE FIX THIS?

>> THIS IS WHERE IT GETS CONTROVERSIAL.

I SAY BOTH OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS WE WANT VOTERS TO HAVE THE ULTIMATE SAY IN WHO FILLS THEIR VACANCIES.

I THINK MARYLAND POST PANDEMIC OR OVER THE RECENT YEARS WE HAVE MOVED TOWARDS MORE VOTERS WHO ARE VOTING BY MAIL.

THE ARGUMENT THAT IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO HOLD SPECIAL ELECTIONS, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

AND WHILE I DON'T HAVE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST MAILING BALLOTS TO A SMALL HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN A DISTRICT AND MAKING ONE VOTING LOCATION AVAILABLE ON ELECTION DAY IS NOT THAT EXPENSIVE.

>> Jeff: THE LEGISLATURE'S LOOKED AT THIS IN RECENT YEARS THERE'S BEEN A BILL IN TO PROPOSE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT HAS NOT GOTTEN FAR.

IS THERE ANY REASON TO THINK IT MIGHT GET FARTHER IN THE COMING TERM?

>> I SAY PUBLIC PRESSURE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK VOTERS ARE KIND OF FED UP WITH THE WAY THAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING.

WHEN YOU LEARN ABOUT THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, THE WAY THAT THE CONTROVERSY THAT MANY TIMES HAPPENS IN JURISDICTIONS, I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST KIND OF SHOCKED BY THE FACT THAT A CHAIR FOR EXAMPLE ENDS UP BEING THE TIEBREAKER AND THE ONE WHO GETS THE APPOINTMENT.

SO I SAY THE PUBLIC PRESSURE MORE THAN ANYTHING.

AND THE UNWILLINGNESS SPECIFICALLY IN THE HOUSE AT THIS POINT TO EVEN BRING A BILL UP FOR DISCUSSION IN SUBCOMMITTEE.

>> Jeff: IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEBODY COMPLETELY OUT OF LEFT FIELD BECOMING A DELEGATE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IS MAYBE DIFFERENT FROM A PREVIOUSLY ELECTED DELEGATE BEING ELEVATE TO FILL A VACANT SENATE SEAT IN THE SAME DISTRICT.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT IS LESS OF AN ISSUE?

>> YOU COULD SAY YES OR NO.

THE SENATE IS A SMALLER BODY A MORE POWERFUL BODY AND HAS A HIGHER LEVEL OF APPOINTEES THAN THE HOUSE.

I WOULD HAVE CONCERNS FROM A DEMOCRATIC PERSPECTIVE OF LIKE THAT IS MORE INSIDERY.

AND I THINK FROM JUST WHEN YOU ARE TALKING THEORETICALLY ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY AND WHAT MAKES IT STRONG ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN STRUCK BY RECENTLY IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTED OFFICIALS GETTING OUT THERE AND KNOWING THEIR COMMUNITIES.

KNOCKING ON DOORS.

EARNING VOTES.

RAISING MONEY.

ALL OF IT IS WHAT MAKES OUR DEMOCRACY SUCCEED.

THIS IDEA THAT YOU CAN SKIP THAT OR DO LESS OF IT BECAUSE IT'S SOMEHOW GUARANTEED AND YOU HAVE THE BENEFIT OF INCUMBENCY IS A PROBLEM FOR DEMOCRACY LONG-TERM.

HOW ARE WE TRAINING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE ENGAGED?

I HAVE NO DOUBT AND I'VE WORKED WITH WONDERFUL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE APPOINTEES BUT WE LOSE SOMETHING WHEN PEOPLE WHO ARE IN HIGHER OFFICE DON'T HAVE TO PRIORITIZE OR HAVE IT TO GET THEIR START.

AND THERE IS OTHER MECHANISMS TO GET THROUGH ACCESS AND INFLUENCE.

AND IT CONCERNS ME THAT THE SENATE IS MORE APPOINTEES THAN THE HOUSE.

OBVIOUSLY THE HOUSE JUST LIKE OUR HOUSE IN WASHINGTON D.C.

IT'S MORE REPRESENTATIVE IT'S SMALLER T SHOULD BE EASIER TO SEEK ELECTION YOU HAVE A SMALLER NUMBER OF VOTERS AND SHOULD COST LESS.

BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYWAY YOU CAN SAY THAT IT MATTERS LESS.

>> Jeff: AND WE DON'T WANT TO IMPLY THAT ALL APPOINTED LEGISLATORS ARE BAD LEGISLATORS GREAT LEGISLATORS HAVE COME THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

>> THERE IS NOTHING TO SAY THAT A SENATE APPOINTEE HAS TO HAVE BEEN A DELEGATE THAT IS HOW IT HAPPENED.

LIKE YOU EARN YOUR WAY UP.

LIKE -- >> THEY COULD PICK SOMEONE OUT OF LEFT FIELD BUT THEY DON'T USUALLY.

>> Jeff: I WAS GOING TO ASK IF MAYBE THERE IS A HALF MEASURE HERE WHERE THERE'S ALREADY AN ELECTION HELD AT THE MID-POINT OF THE TERM OF THE LEGISLATURE.

SO YOU HAVE A LEGISLATIVE ELECTION A GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION TWO YEARS LATER WE HAVE A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

COULD YOU AT THAT POINT WHEN THE MACHINERY IS UP AND FUNCTIONING HAVE ANY APPOINTED LEGISLATORS STAND FOR ELECTION FOR THE REMAINING TERM AT THAT POINT?

>> WE WERE WILLING TO SUPPORT THAT PREVIOUSLY.

I THINK WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN ORDER TO GET TO MORE VOTERS HAVING A SAY WE ARE TAKING INCREMENTAL STEPS.

UNFORTUNATELY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE HOUSE AGAIN, HAS NOT MET US WITH THIS COMPROMISE.

P>> Jeff: THANKS TO EMILY SCARR AND JOANNE ANTOINE.

THE HAMPTON MANSION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY DRESSES UP TO BRING IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

THIS YEAR IT'S ABOUT THE LONG HISTORY OF MUSIC.

CHARLES ROBINSON TAKES US TO THE SOUNDS OF THE SEASON.

[*] >> SO WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION THIS ROOM WAS CALLED THE MUSIC ROOM BACK INTO THE 1840s.

SO IN THIS ROOM, WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST LIKELY PLACE THAT THE RIDGELY FAMILY AND THEIR GUESTS WOULD HAVE PLAYED MUSIC AND LISTENED TO MUSIC.

>> SO THIS BOOK BELONGED TO LIZ YEAH RICHLY AND CONTAINS HARP AND PIANO MUSIC THAT SHE WOULD HAVE PLAYED IN THE 1840s.

A LOT OF THE SONGS ARE FRENCH AND ITALIAN.

>> BEHIND US WE HAVE ELIZA RIDGELY.

SHE WAS THE THIRD MISTRESS OF HAMPTON AND MARRIED JOHN RIDGELY HE WAS THE THIRD MASTER OF HAMPTON.

AND SHE WAS A RENOWNED MUSICIAN.

>> THE HOLIDAYS AT THE HAMPTONS WILL BRING TOGETHER SMALL GROUPS WHO WILL ZAIRE NATURE VISITORS WITH SOUNDS FROM 1783 TO 1948.

>> THIS IS A METHODIST HIM NATIONAL FROM 1844 AND IT GOES CONTAIN A HYMN SPECIFICALLY FOR CHRISTMAS.

>> IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE YOU ARE LIKELY TO GET CAROLES FROM ENGLAND AND GERMANY.

HERE IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, THOSE CAROLES WERE REINTERPRETED WITH MONIES, GROWNS AND, OF COURSE, CALL AND RESPONSE.

>> WE KNOW THAT NICK TOO GOOD WAS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN ENSLAVED MAN HERE AT HAMPTON.

WHO WAS KNOWN AS A SPIRITUAL LEADER AND A SINGER.

AND HE WOULD WALK AROUND ON HIS DAILY TASKS SINGING SONGS.

>> THIS IS CHRISTMAS CAROLES NEW AND OLD.

AND IT DOES CONTAIN TWO BLACK AMERICAN SPIRITUALS.

>> IN ADDITION TO GETTING THE HISTORY BEHIND THE SONGS, YOU WILL ALSO GET TO GO BACK IN TIME.

AT THE HAMPTON MANSION I'M CHARLES ROBINSON FOR "STATE CIRCLE".

>> Jeff: AND THAT IS "STATE CIRCLE" FOR THIS WEEK.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE MONDAY EVENING AT 7:00 P.M. FOR "DIRECT CONNECTION".

[*]