The setup
Three age groups: Youth, Higher Ed, Adult.
Three regions for the first level of judging: West, Central East (clever, huh?).
Prizes: Total pool is $35,000. Regional prizes are $500 for first place in each age group; $250 for second place; honorable mention prizes of $200 or less.
Regional winner and runner-up then enter state judging.
State champs in each age group get $5,000. Runners-up get $2,500.
We also give special citations and prizes to schools or colleges that show exemplary engagement.
The challenge
Draw a 17-district congressional map of Pennsylvania (the one the state will likely have to draw in 2021).
Each map must have a) 17 districts (yeah, we really meant that one) b) districts that are contiguous (that is, each part of the district must at least touch the rest of the district and c) nearly equal populations in each district (within .5 percent of the target population of 747,149),
Then provide a short personal statement (written, video, audio, painting, whatever you like) about your map: why you chose the goals you did, how you met them, what you learned.
See the Rules for the PA Congressional Mapping Competition for Spring 2020 for details.
The judging
We’ll review all the maps in early June and notify winners by the end of the month.
Honorees are picked by the civic, business and educational leaders on the project’s three steering committees. Winners will be publicly announced in July and honored at an event in the State Capitol in Harrisburg in September.
Stuck? Need help?
Here it is. And here's some more. And even more.
Map on, Pennsylvania.
