The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has released a new congressional district map for the state’s 2018 elections, but state Republicans said they would challenge it — even before they saw it.
Today’s order means a new map will be in effect in the May 15 primary.
Republican lawmakers are expected to challenge it in federal court, arguing legislatures and governors, not courts, have the constitutional responsibility to draw congressional maps.
The proposed map splits the current 5th Congressional District, putting McKean County into the 15th District, and Potter into the 12th.
Lt. Gov. Mike Stack today issued the following statement regarding the redistricting map adopted by the PA Supreme Court:
“The Supreme Court has created a map that restores a level playing field to Pennsylvania’s congressional districts. I am pleased that the court preserved large parts of my submission, which made a priority of preserving communities of interest while also keeping most counties intact. As I had advocated to the court, the new map does away with the contorted and bizarrely shaped districts that impacted Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware counties, essentially creating a separate seat for each county. Further, like my own submission, the new map creates distinct regions in the northeast and the Lehigh Valley, and restores Erie County. Finally, the voters in Western Pennsylvania now have compact districts.
By making every vote count, this redistricting map should ease voter cynicism and encourage new candidates and new voters to participate in our democracy.
I urge all parties now to end the defense of gerrymandered districts and come together to find a new way to create state and federal legislative districts that are free from the taint of partisanship.”