Politicians deceive voters; we all know it. Now, imagine the lengths they will go to when their cushy, coveted jobs are on the line.

Today, the deceitful and undemocratic “Stop Sinclair” campaign demonstrates the extent to which politicians in Baltimore are willing to go in order to preserve their powerful and lucrative posts.

The central question here is very simple: Why are the mayor and City Council members attempting to prevent Baltimore citizens from voting based on their best interests and accurate information? Because, let’s absolutely be clear, disenfranchising voters and deceiving them are, in many ways, one and the same. Denying a voter the choice of acting in their best interest and voting for something that they otherwise would not have based on falsehoods is no different from denying them the right to vote. In fact, it may be worse. The politicians who support Stop Sinclair want the public to be subservient to them; they want you to believe that “Sinclair” is a boogeyman hiding in your closet, ready to strike at the dead of night.

My goal is simple. It is to provide Baltimoreans — residents of a city I love and wish prosperity for — with the opportunity to vote on issues that are plaguing their city. Stop Sinclair, backed by influential figures in city government, has demonstrated through their tactics that, if given the choice, they would prevent voters from having this opportunity.

There are many ways in which Stop Sinclair deceives Baltimoreans, but the first deception is readily apparent in their ads, email and text message campaigns: Their very name, “Stop Sinclair,” is a deception. The entire premise behind Stop Sinclair is that Sinclair Broadcast Group, a company of which I am the executive chairman, is somehow supporting the ballot initiative to lower the number of Baltimore City Council members from 14 to eight. This is as false today as it was two years ago when they used the same tactic to try and stop term limits, which passed with an overwhelming 72% of the vote.

Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, a large funder of Stop Sinclair, received nine donations this election cycle that exceeded the $6,000 campaign contribution limit, as reported by The Baltimore Sun. Many of these people held the position of CEO or president at their respective organizations. Would it be fair to start the “Stop 28 Walker Street Development” campaign? How about the “Stop the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors” campaign? “Stop The Time Group” campaign? These names sound ridiculous — because they are. If Stop Sinclair can’t produce a single piece of evidence showing that just one of Sinclair’s networks leveraged its airtime to promote the ballot initiative, then what exactly does “Stop Sinclair” mean? It means that “Stop David” isn’t as catchy, apparently.

Another falsehood that has been levied by Stop Sinclair: Voting “Yes” on the ballot initiative would mean supporting the “MAGA agenda” in Baltimore. Every single member of the Baltimore City Council is a Democrat. The mayor is a Democrat. The Baltimore City Charter redistricting process requires that the mayor — again, a Democrat — present a redistricting plan to the City Council, which the City Council alone — again, all Democrats — can choose to adopt. Any claim that even the most moderate Republican would gain a foothold in Baltimore as a result of the redistricting process defies logic.

Another falsehood made by Stop Sinclair: The ballot initiative will disenfranchise Black voters. Every single person in charge of the redistricting process is a Democrat. Even assuming we leave out the fact that 57% of Baltimore City is Black — and that the very idea that 57% of a city’s population can be disenfranchised is a farce — if Black voters in Baltimore City end up somehow being disenfranchised, there will be only one party responsible — the same party that controls the entire redistricting process: the Democratic Party.

One more deception: Baltimore City would be worse off. Government loves to squander money and embraces inefficiencies. The fact is, there are six City Council members who serve no beneficial purpose to Baltimore City. The very fact that their position exists serves only to squander more public funds and increase legislative inefficiencies, making it harder to rapidly adapt to changes in the city.

This isn’t my first rodeo. Back in 2022, when term limits were on the ballot, the ballot initiative overwhelmingly passed with 72% of the vote, in spite of Baltimore City’s elected leaders using the same tactics that they are using today in an attempt to defeat it.

Baltimoreans have a lot to be proud of; they are a strong, resilient bunch. But they should not be proud to have leaders who use deceitful tactics to scare them into subservience.

The Baltimore Sun published one reader commentary and one guest commentary following my previous column on Stop Sinclair that were critical of the ballot initiative. One guest commentary was published that was favorable to the ballot initiative. The point is, I don’t use companies that I have leadership positions in to play favorites. Every reader, both for and against the ballot initiative, is encouraged to send in their own commentaries which will all equally be considered for publishing.

So, why doesn’t the government want to provide its residents with the opportunity to fully assess and vote on issues that personally impact them? That is the question that demands an honest and transparent answer — but, as we all know, honesty and transparency aren’t exactly trademarks of those who fear accountability.

The question is: How are citizens voting on a ballot initiative a threat to democracy?

David Smith is a principal owner of The Baltimore Sun and executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcasting Group.