3 Maryland Counties Have Asked To Join West Virginia. Here's How They Could Do It

[appalachiablue]

- WUSA9 TV, Oct. 27, 2021.

Members of the Maryland General Assembly representing three Maryland counties have asked to split from the Old Line State and join neighboring West Virginia. In two letters to top West Virginia lawmakers, representatives from Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties asked for their counties to be accepted into the Mountain State.

Soon after, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice expressed support for the request, saying in a press conference he would be “tickled to death” to accept the counties into the state. It follows a trend of rural sections in blue states wanting to split off and join states with seemingly similar values, like rural Oregonians wanting to join Idaho. If it happens, this would be a first for the country—the only exception being the Virginia/West Virginia split, which was similar, but a bit more confusing. So let’s verify how something unprecedented could take place.

THE QUESTION: Is it possible for some counties to leave a state and join another?

THE SOURCES: Paul Schiff Berman, Walter S. Cox Professor of Law at the George Washington University
Mark Graber, Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Maryland
U.S. Constitution, Article 4

THE ANSWER: Yes, if both states and Congress agree, a county could leave its state and join another.

WHAT WE FOUND: Article 4, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution lays out the standards by which new states can be added to the union. It dictates that new states can’t be formed from within a state or from the merging of states without the consent of the states involved and of Congress. Though it doesn’t directly reference trading land, our experts agreed this process is what would need to play out...

More,
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/3-maryland-counties-have-asked-to-join-west-virginia-here-s-how-they-could-do-it/ar-AAQ1ffO

[msongs]

1. give em 3 red counties from regular virginia, make VA more blue nt

[elleng]

2. Article IV Section 3 Clause 1

New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

[moose65]

4. Does that apply here?

This isn’t forming a new state.

[mahina]

3. Why would Maryland agree?

[d_r]

5. they might want to let that dead weight go

[Cartoonist]

6. And maybe lose some representatives?

What compensation is Virginia offering?

[spooky3]

7. The legislators' request was withdrawn, per:

https://amp.heraldmailmedia.com/amp/6172662001

[elleng]

10. Thanks.

'OAKLAND — Garrett County, along with Allegany and Washington, made national headlines in the past week when lawmakers released letters requesting that Western Maryland become part of West Virginia.

Since that time, though, members of the group have withdrawn their support of the proposal.

The Republican lawmakers included state Sen. George Edwards and Delegates Wendell Beitzel, Jason Buckel, Mike McKay and William Wivell.

Letters were sent Oct. 5 and Oct. 14 to West Virginia Senate President Craig Blair and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, asking “that you consider adding us as constituent counties to the State of West Virginia. We believe this arrangement may be mutually beneficial for both states and for our local constituencies.”

The five Maryland legislators traveled to Charleston, W.Va., in September to discuss the matter, and were reportedly told that a letter requesting the move would be required to start the process. Speaking to The New York Times, Beitzel said there is a “strong sense of unrest and unhappiness among people in our rural area of the state,” and that constituents have been asking to secede from Maryland for years.

He cited fracking, mask mandates and the teaching of racial issues in schools as topic of concern to local residents, the newspaper reported.

However, on Oct. 22 — the day after the announcement — Buckel wrote a letter that also was signed by Edwards which withdrew their support.

“I believe that our intentions have been misconstrued, and that in fact the entire effort may be foolhardy,” the letter stated. “While this letter reflects only my own perspective, Sen. Edwards and I have communicated that he shares my ultimate conclusion and would similarly withdraw any participation in any further efforts in this process.”'>>>

https://www.wvnews.com/garrettrepublican/news/support-withdrawn-for-western-maryland-secession/article_0e3ae192-3750-11ec-9284-2f74a7930dbc.html

[halfulglas]

8. It would be extremely expensive for West Virginia.

The state parks in those counties are owned by the State of Maryland and Maryland would expect to be paid for them. Deep Creek is owned by Maryland. The casino operation there has financial ties to Maryland.

So yes, it's possible they could join West Virginia, but the divorce would be extremely costly and neither the counties nor West Virginia want to face the financial consequences. Maybe the counties read Dan Rodericks' column in the Baltimore Sun before they rescinded the request.

[elleng]

9. Thanks for the detail, and good points;

even tho I lived in Washington County for a while, such details evaded me.