Question P was a Baltimore City referendum issue on the November 5, 2002, general election ballot in which voters overwhelmingly approved reducing the size of the Baltimore City Council from 18 council members to 14 members, each to be elected by a different local district. Baltimore City had previously had six council districts, each electing three council members. These 18 members, plus one City Council President elected at-large made up the body's 19 seats, cut from 21 to 19 in 1967.
In favor of Question P
The effort to gather the 10,000 signatures required to put Question P on the ballot was spearheaded by Community and Labor United for Baltimore (CLUB), a grassroots coalition of community groups and labor unions. Members of CLUB included organizations such as the League of Women Voters, —a national association for labor unions of public sector employees, and 's Baltimore chapter—a collection of local community organizations that advocate for low-income families and people living in poverty.<br />
CLUB's position was that approving Question P would save City taxpayers money by eliminating redundant positions, increase the transparency and accountability of Council members, and make it easier for less-established candidates to get elected.
Opposition to Question P
Council members who opposed Question P attempted to add an alternative measure to the ballot, Question Q, which was worded very similarly and also proposed cutting the number of city council seats from 19 to 14, but the retained larger, multi-member districts.