HARRISBURG, PA - Today, the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee voted to advance a Congressional Redistricting map. David Thornburgh, chair of Draw the Lines and President & CEO of the Committee of Seventy, had this to say:
“I’m glad that after today’s vote, the House now has an actual map to consider. True transparency begins when citizens can react to an actual map. We’re also pleased to see that there seems to be bi-partisan support for a 30-day comment period, mirroring the requirements for the legislative maps. However, we’re concerned there appears to have been little dialogue between the majority and minority caucuses around a process that Chairman Grove stressed should not be driven by partisan interests.
“We look forward to reviewing all of the small but crucial decisions made in the updated map. Our Citizen Map Corps, the best of the 7,211 citizens who have worked on their own maps through Draw the Lines, stands ready to comment on the map. We will conduct a zoom briefing with members of the Map Corps at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 20.
“From years of advocacy and public outreach, we know that Pennsylvanians want a balanced map, the opportunity to provide public input, and to know that their input was taken seriously. Draw the Lines and its citizen mapmakers are asking legislators for a balanced map that not only minimizes jurisdictional splits, but that also features districts that are compact and are fair to all voters, regardless of party. We urge the legislature to build on the work of their constituents and engage with the public and their colleagues to get the job done.”