Five years ago, the Committee of Seventy launched Draw the Lines PA to bring unprecedented transparency and citizen engagement to this once-arcane and hugely important process. We were operating on the hunch that when citizens literally take mapping into their own hands, they would unleash fresh streams of energy, accountability, and political power.
We succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.
Five years ago, the Committee of Seventy launched Draw the Lines PA to bring unprecedented transparency and citizen engagement to this once-arcane and hugely important process. We succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.
The Pennsylvania State Supreme Court today announced via a 4-3 decision to select the “Carter map” as the map for Pennsylvania’s congressional districts for the next decade.
Draw the Lines Statement on House State Gov't Committee draft map
Today, the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee released a preliminary Congressional redistricting map for public input. In response, David Thornburgh, Chair of Draw the Lines PA, released the following statement:
Draw the Lines video series of Pennsylvanians discussing the Citizens' Map
Draw the Lines is proud to introduce a new video series that will interview the people who helped contribute to the PA Citizens' Map. Some are senior citizens. Some aren't even seniors in high school. They come from all over PA, with a range of backgrounds. They focused on different goals in their own maps, like compactness, minimizing splits, honoring the Voting Rights Act, or pursuing competitive elections. All are focused on a transparent process and better maps than 2011.
DTL calls on legislature to immediately produce a congressional map
Draw the Lines today publicly called on the General Assembly to swiftly and transparently produce a draft map of congressional districts for public comment, using the 2020 Census data released in August, citing its own Pennsylvania Citizens’ Map as an example of a fair and sound map that was produced using input from thousands of Pennsylvanians who drew their own districts.
Sampling the public comments on the PA Citizens' Map
Draw the Lines has been fielding public comments on our Citizens' Map since we released it in Sept. Here's a sample. We expect the General Assembly to do the same and release a draft map for public comment.
Draw the Lines to present Citizens' Map to legislators
On Oct. 26th, Draw the Lines will be sharing the Citizens' Map directly with legislators, and helping them "piece together" PA's next voting districts.
Every line on a map, every twist or turn, is there for a reason. Sometimes those are good reasons; sometimes they’re not. Collectively, the lines tell a story of the whole map. Here is the story of the Citizen’s Map.
Because of unprecedented attention from Pennsylvania's voters, the Commonwealth's redistricting process must pursue a similar degree of unparalleled transparency and citizen engagement.
The Roadmap to Transparent Redistricting offers guidance to the General Assembly and the Legislative Reapportionment Committee to achieve this ambitious goal. It uses lessons from large-scale public engagement initiatives, including the 2019 Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission and three-year long Draw the Lines PA mapping competition.
The Legislative Reapportionment Commission (LRC) wants to hear from you. Its website now contains the ability for Pennsylvanians to provide direct feedback to the commission. This includes both general comments and the ability to upload your own legislative map. Here are some suggestions on comments you can make.
DTL testimony to House State Government Committee, July 22, 2021
Testimony on the Congressional Redistricting Process
House State Government Committee - David Thornburgh, President and CEO, Committee of Seventy - July 22, 2021
In April 2021, the Great Voteswagon Tour of Pennsylvania barnstormed the commonwealth. Our famous van stopped in communities across PA to talk about the importance of a fair, transparent redistricting process.
Draw the Lines applauds certification of Legislative Reapportionment Commission
Our CEO, the son of a Republican governor, and the daughter of a Democratic governor, are teaming up to launch a bipartisan push for the public to be considered for the 5th of the LRC
Logan Ford of Mercyhurst University
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Image Credit: Photo by Rutan Productions
Isabel Holland, Clarks Summit
Isabel's first entry to a DTL competition drew our eye because she and a teammate drew a fantastic map despite (because of?) they had differing political views.
A Penn State geography professor who encouraged his students to draw a map by surveying hundreds of PSU football fans at a tailgate before an Ohio State game.
Dr. Biss, a social studies teacher at The Baldwin School, is not only a statewide competition winner but has also seen a number of his students win DTL honors.
The scene in the PA. State Capitol rotunda during Draw the Lines PA's awards event for citizen mappers in September.
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Image Credit: Photo by Rutan Productions
Sarah Buranskas (Pittsburgh) - 1st Place, Statewide Adult
A member of Girl Scout Troup 50605 in Lackawanna County shows off the letter she wrote to her congressman on her way to winning a "fun patch."
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Image Credit: Corinna Wilson
Team Tara and Mary (Delone Catholic H.S., Adams County) - Honorable Mention, West Youth
Students at Harry S Truman High School in Bucks County tackle the Put PA Back Together challenge before trying their hands at their own maps during a Map-a-thon day.
5 great reasons to finish and submit your map, plus instructions on submitting
The scene in the PA. State Capitol rotunda during Draw the Lines PA's awards event for citizen mappers in September.
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Image Credit: Photo by Rutan Productions
State Champion, Higher-Ed: Logan Ford, Mercyhurst University
The statewide youth runner-up in fall 2018, Jack Rosenthal, received his award from Committee of Seventy CEO David Thornburgh.
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Image Credit: Rachel Franklin Photography
State Runner-Up, Higher-Ed: Matthew Granito, Gettysburg College
Teacher John Corrigan of Roman Catholic High School tells a school assembly why he brought the Draw the Lines program to the school.
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Image Credit: Linda Breitstein
Video: Draw the Lines visits STEM Scholars to talk gerrymandering
Teacher-led discussion: Why redistricting impacts your life
First, ask students about what political issues do they care about. Then pick one, and as a class trace out why Pennsylvanians aren't getting what they want out of Harrisburg or Washington.
Which values are most important when drawing a map? This popular activity gets students to think about the motivations for why voting districts have their crazy shapes.
Exercise uses imagination to demystify gerrymandering
Takes the intimidation factor out of gerrymandering by making it like finding dragons in clouds overhead. Materials include a teaching guide and student handout with the outline of some of Pennsylvania's most notorious gerrymanders.
Two-part lesson guides students through the basics of a census, why it is necessary, and whether people feel comfortable participating in it. Includes video resources. Includes reflective writing and group work.
Once students have completed the unit (however far you got is fine), we ask that they complete DTL’s short survey to help us understand the impact this project is having.
Jordi Comas speaks at Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission meeting in Williamsport, as Commission Chair David Thornburgh takes notes.
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Image Credit: Don Henry
Philip Hensley, a political consultant and lifelong resident of Delaware County, speaks about efforts to end gerrymandering, after getting his award as statewide adult champion.
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Image Credit: Rachel Franklin Photography
ICYMI: The big N.C. and Md. cases go back to the high court
Activists express their views outside the Supreme Court on the day of the hearing.
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Image Credit: NBC News
Episode 1: Dude, Who Stole My Seat? Jason Altmire Hunts Answers
Jason Altmire was the chief victim of the Pennsylvania’s Great Gerrymander of 2011. In this episode, he explains how he lost a seat in Congress after three terms through diabolically subtle line-drawing, aimed at setting him up to lose his own party’s primary. He also lays out vividly how gerrymandering is causing the slow death of the center in our national politics.
Roman Catholic High student Colin Long explains how he did his award-winning map as fellow honoree Derek Nguyen looks on
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Image Credit: Linda Breitstein
Episode 2 — For the Love of Mike: Bryan Miller Fights Back
Gerrymanders aren’t just wacky lines on a map. By empowering ideologues and special interests, they thwart the commonsense solutions to tough issues that are favored by strong majorities of Americans. Gun violence protection is one such issue. Meet Bryan Miller, whose quest to redeem the murder of his brother Mike led him to big successes in one state capitol, but defeats and frustration in another. The difference between the two buildings, just a hundred miles apart: gerrymandering.
Episode 3: From Ratf***ed to Unrigged: David Daley Discovers Hope
David Daley wrote the book on how gerrymandering undermines democracy. He gave it a profane title and a depressing epilogue tinged with despair about America’s future. He’s got a new book now. In it, he joyfully details how the final chapter of his earlier book is being proved wrong. Let Daley take you on a journey across America to meet the everyday heroes whose savvy, DIY activism is spreading the fire of reform.
Episode 4 — Gerrymander Never Knew What Hit It: Ben Geffen Saves America
OK, we exaggerate somewhat. But Ben Geffen was a key player on the legal team that won the first court case that overturned for good a notorious 2011 gerrymander. Geffen’s tale takes you behind closed doors to learn how a band of determined citizens and public-interest lawyers stunned political insiders. They used a novel legal theory to convince the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to toss out the state’s notorious, “Donald Duck kicks Goofy” congressional map. The new map put in its place then fueled the “blue wave” of the 2018 mid-terms.
Episode 5 - From Snowball to Avalanche: Carol Kuniholm Steps Up
When Carol Kuniholm stood up in a Philadelphia church on frigid evening in January 2017, she didn’t feel she was about to launch a movement. She just felt deep stage fright. Then, she started talking. And, with every word she told that packed sanctuary, the gerrymander got a little less secure in his lair. If you can slay the gerrymander in one of America’s most reform-allergic states, you can do it anywhere. Kuniholm hasn’t finished the quest yet, but she’s not done trying.
Episode 6 — And a Child Shall Lead Them: Kyle Hynes Schools His Elders
There's never been a competition quite like it before. When Draw the Lines PA set out to prove that regular folks could draw election maps better than the political pros, many scoffed. Other shrugged. They hadn’t met Kyle Hynes, a 15-year-old from the place known as Happy Valley, who knows more about the Voting Rights Act than plenty of congresspeople. Hynes won $5,000 for his congressional map of Pennsylvania, one of 318 entered in the biggest public mapping contest in the nation’s history. He’s a walking, talking rebuke to the notion that only expert partisans can draw election maps.
When Eric Stahl of Washington, D.C., sat down with DistrictBuilder to create his DTL map, he already knew a bunch about redistricting. But he still faced some surprisingly hard choices as he tried to craft a map that favored the compactness goal.
ICYMI: That didn't take long; partisan squabbling over new redistricting panel begins
Chris Satullo
Last Wednesday, Gov. Wolf named David Thornburgh, CEO of the Committee of Seventy and leader of Draw the Lines PA, to head a new advisory panel tasked with suggesting redistricting reforms. The commission is already caught in a partisan crossfire, as Republican leaders take aim.
The Mappers' Tale: The Waxenberg Family of Lords Valley
Chris Satullo
Michael Waxenberg of Pike County got really interested in gerrymandering during the Pennsylvania court case last winter. He was the head geek in his family, but when he enlisted his daughters to help do a Draw the Lines map, one of them asked the genius question that showed the Waxenbergs the path to their map.
Maneuvering to undo Clean Missouri reforms has begun
Chris Satullo
Missouri lawmakers are already making noises about trying to overturn the will of the voters who overwhelming approved the Clean Missouri reform package at the polls.
In this lesson you will: explore how shifts in population determine the way representation is apportioned and explain how voters are apportioned in voting districts.
Mark Schweiker, former governor of Pennsylvania and a Draw the Lines PA committee co-chair, talks about who inspired him to public service and his concerns for democracy.
Mark Schweiker, former Pennsylvania governor.
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Image Credit: Creative Commons
Lesson 2: Redistricting in Pennsylvania
Students will learn to read and analyze a secondary source on Pennsylvania’s voting lines, think critically about motivations and incentives when legislators draw the maps, simulate the legislative and commission process and map their own.
Students will be able to define “gerrymandering,” examine and analyze the impact of gerrymandering, participate in a simulation to understand how gerrymandering works and influences on politics.
Chris Satullo served as DTL's project director
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Image Credit: Philadelphia Junto
Mariam Sayeed of Pittsburgh
Mariam Sayeed believes voters' choices on who should represent our communities become crucial when it comes to decisions about education, health care and safety. She's begun to understand how these decisions are affected by gerrymandering.
As a child of Jewish refugees who barely escaped from World War II with their lives, Linda Breitstein grew up witnessing how precious the right to a meaningful vote could be.
DTL launches initiative with statewide barnstorming tour
Chris Satullo
The statewide civic education and engagement project launches new website and mapping tool, while announcing a 20-plus event tour of the state this fall.
A 1989 Time magazine cover depicting George Washington with a tear running down his cheek, headlined "Is Government Dead?" helped inspire Professor Jill Family to play a leading role in Draw the Lines.
An independent evaluation from ImpactED, through the Univ. of Pennsylvania in 2019, found that Draw the Lines has a positive impact in the classroom. We invite you to read the report.
Mark Schweiker, former Pennsylvania governor.
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Image Credit: Creative Commons
Yaasiyn Muhammad of Philadelphia
Yaasiyn Muhammad hopes that Draw the Lines PA helps create a generation of young people who are more aware of the nuances of state government and are encouraged to push for reform.
Ruling in N.C. case throws election into confusion
Chris Satullo
North Carolina and Pennsylvania are both up there in the listing of "America's worst gerrymanders." Now, North Carolina is following Pennsylvania's example in having its congressional map ruled illegal shortly before an election.
By using Draw The Lines PA, you are entering into a contract with Committee of Seventy, a non-profit organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, headquartered at 123 S. Broad Street. Under that contract, you must abide by the terms outlined in this document.
Rachel Colker is leading Draw the Lines PA' efforts in western Pennsylvania because she recognizes gerrymandering is at the root of growing political dysfunction.
Corinna Wilson has been working for decades, as a lawyer and a journalist, to make government more transparent, and is Draw the Lines PA's Central PA Coordinator.
Dr. Myra Gehret Forrest, a former school district superintendent, believes that the practice of gerrymandering is not just unfair but 'un-American.' She's backing Draw the Lines because she believes education is the key to a solution.
Justin Villere is leading Draw the Lines PA to provide Pennsylvanians of all ages the tools to lead us out of the wilderness and towards a more perfect union.
Kitsy McNulty is working toward reforming redistricting so that people check their partisanship at the door in favor of designing fair representation for all.
Kitsy McNulty speaks at a DTL event at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.
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Image Credit: Rachel Colker
Dan Mallinson of Middletown
As a state politics scholar, Dan has an interest in helping his students understand how the ways in which district lines are drawn shape who has a voice in government, and thus power.
Bob Trumpbour's research focuses on how big sports stadiums get built, which has him interested in the political processes involved in that - including how political lines are drawn.
Committee of 70 deplores Harrisburg inaction on redistricting
Chris Satullo
The Committee of Seventy strongly rebuked Harrisburg lawmakers for their inaction and deceptiveness about the constitutional amendment on redistricting.
We at Draw the Lines PA take your privacy seriously. To that end, Draw the Lines PA and its parent organization, Committee of Seventy in Philadelphia, promise we will never sell your personal information, such as your name or email address, to anyone. Ever.
Chris Satullo, project director at Draw the Lines Pa., shows citizen mappers the basics of District Builder
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Image Credit: B) Don Henry (copyright Field)
An evening of story telling about what people do to uphold their sense of how democracy should work. Lawrence Husick won the judges' prize for best story.
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Mariam Sayeed
Mariam Sayeed
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Corinna Wilson square
Corinna Wilson
Dan Mallinson square
yaasin muhammad
Yaasiyn Muhammad
Gerrymandering 101
Ray Happy Birthday Bar
This is the best bar name sign in the world.
Games for Democracy
Mapathon
Webinar
Classroom
Other
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Where am I?
Do I count?
Who is listening?
Am I heard?
01 its job interview 1
It's a job interview
Data Made Them Do It - Rob Tornoe
Algorithm
02 how not slice pizza
DIY Democracy
08 child shall lead
Harrisburg, we have a problem
In this cartoon, a paint brush is being used as a broom over a map of Pennsylvania.
Take Away The Keys Drawing
News & Brews with WITF
An engaged group of 50 or so central Pennsylvanians learned about gerrymandering and the Draw the Lines project in an event hosted by WITF public Media in Harrisburg.
Draw the Lines presented at Gannon University about the solution to gerrymandering and efforts to draw fair and more representative voting districts. The discussion was led by Rachel Colker, Western Regional Coordinator of DTL, and Carol Kuniholm of Fair Districts PA.
Draw the Lines PA joined the Carnegie Library in leading an interactive and informational discussion of gerrymandering. We covered the history of gerrymandering, the state of gerrymandering in Pennsylvania, explained the mission of Draw the Lines, and offered connections to reform efforts.
The DTL team joined Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to show the engaged audience how DTL works and a test drive to our free mapping tool. Join Draw the Lines to compete regionally and statewide for big prizes!
Kitsy McNulty speaks at a DTL event at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.
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Redistricting by Citizens
Amanda Holt, the citizen mapper who challenged the 2011 PA statehouse gerrymander and won, joined with the Draw the Lines PA team to explain how citizens can make a real difference.
Activist Amanda Holt helps lead a discussion with citizens about how they can play a part in legislative redistricting.
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Image Credit: Linda Breitstein, DTL.
Flashes at Heinz History bar games
Eat Pizza. Save Democracy.
Wilkes students showed off their creative and puzzle-making chops at an event that helped them learn the connection between issues they care about and gerrymandering.
Sept. 17 was Constitution Day and Draw the Lines PA honored the nation's founding charter by joining with UPenn professor Ken Stief to talk about how gerrymandering subverts the Framers' vision. We let folks test drive our DistrictBuilder tool and get ready to draw their own maps.
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All for All Summit
All for All Summit
Draw the Lines PA joined an interactive gathering on the role of immigrants in entrepreneurship and the local economy. The panels discussed the intersection of immigrant inclusion with local politics, the arts, and more.
Data Day was a family-friendly community fair held at the library. Draw the Lines explored the data in your everyday life, and how you can affect change through that data!