Redrawing Pennsylvania: Redistricting to Cost State a House Seat

Officials from Western Pennsylvania gathered Thursday in Cranberry for a   to receive testimony and collect public input on realignment.

Redistricting is a state legislative process in which the boundaries of congressional and legislative districts are redrawn every 10 years based on U.S. Census data  to meet the constitutional requirement of one person, one vote.

Due to the latest census figures -- which showed that Pennsylvania did not experience as much growth as other states  -- the state must eliminate one congressional district, which will bring its total number of seats to 18. Pennsylvania also lost two congressional seats in the 1990s.

On Thursday, county commissioners from across Western Pennsylvania who spoke at the meeting, including those from Crawford, Armstrong and Indiana counties, made it clear they’d prefer that the redistricting process not require the carving up of their municipalities or counties. Others asked the committee to take into account communities with similar population and socioeconomic conditions when drawing up the new districts.

Tom Porter, of Armstrong County, noted that the residents of  his rural county would prefer a representative who would reflect the community.

“I just want you to use your common sense,” he told panel members.

Speakers included Dr. Michael McDonald, an associate professor at George Mason University, and Dr. Jennifer Nicoll Victor, as assistant professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh.

Both emphasized the importance of transparency and fairness as the new districts are created to avoid redistricting based on politics.

The state General Assembly must first pass congressional redistricting, and the governor must approve it. The final results should be unveiled to the public at another hearing by year-end.

The joint committee will conduct a hearing Tuesday in Harrisburg. The first hearing was May 12 in Philadelphia.