From the PA League of Women Voters (https://www.palwv.org/):
After much debate over new congressional maps, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania acted today to protect the liberties of PA citizens by choosing the proposed “Carter Plan” congressional map, which keeps maps similar to ones drawn by the Court in 2018.
Pennsylvanians have a constitutional right to fair representation, and we applaud the Court’s decision. We are grateful for a system of checks and balances in Pennsylvania that protects voters from the overreach of politicians who do not put the interests of voters above their own.
Far too much of the redistricting process is focused on partisan gerrymandering, often causing Pennsylvanians voters to become an afterthought. We went to court in 2018 to have Pennsylvania’s 2011 congressional map invalidated as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander under the state constitution. The League of Women Voters will continue to fight to ensure that the voices of voters are heard.
We commend the Court’s decision and the progress that has been made to undo decades of partisan gerrymandering. We are very glad to see that the action of League members and supporters has had an impact on this cycle’s congressional mapping process.
Though we celebrate today, the fight for a truly reformed redistricting process is not over. Going forward, Pennsylvania needs a set of criteria for drawing maps to be enacted into law to constrain future overreaches and to ensure that Pennsylvania policy supports the full participation of every eligible voter.
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