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The Redistricting Process Lose Seats in the House of Representatives, a in Pennsylvania __ _ • ab1. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTER Ifl!1 - OF BERKS COU Nit — —r Resources THE REDISTRICTiNG United States Census Bureau PROCESS www.census.gov After the 2010 Census, Congressional district lines in Pennsylvania were redrawn with Information about the Census, partisan aims in mind, rather than the needs of how to participate, economic the communities contained within. The result indicators, and latest news. was gerrymandered districts that did not represent the political geography of American Fact Finder Pennsylvania and did not accurately reflect the County was split into 4 factflnder.census.gov will of the voters. Berks districts with none of the representatives being • A tool to search census data on based with in the county. national, state, and local levels Groups like the League of Women Voters of PA, for the Puerto Rico, and the US, Fair Districts PA, Common Cause PA, and Islands. others fought for fairer districts that more appropriately represented the voter of Pennsylvania. Several legislative proposals League of Women Voters of PA were advanced in the state house and senate, hftps://www.palwv.org but none passed legislative gridlock. Nonpartisan organization • civic The League of Women Voters believes that dedicated to defending voting redistricting should: rights, advocacy, and public education. • Protect the voting rights of minorities. • Information on apportionment • Promote competitiveness and partisan fairness. and redistricting at • Respect political subdivisions and communities of interest https://www.palwv.orglapporti • Encourage geographical compactness and respect for natural onment-redistriding/ geographic features and barriers. The League of Women Voters Brochure produced by League of Women Voters of Berks County of Berks County Contriiting edlthr: Jodi Greene www.lwvberks.org Design: Jill Greene Sponsored by a grant from the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania [email protected] © 2019 League of Women Voters of Serks County K IL Redistricting and Z1 the Census / / r N r IHill LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS Lit W QFBhRKSCOUNTY c 2020 CENSUS In accordance with Article I, Section 2 of the US Take Action Constitution, the US conducts a count of every resident of the United States every 10 years. Data • Educate yourself and others collected in the Census determine if states gain or about the redistricting process lose seats in the House of Representatives, a in Pennsylvania. process called apportionment. If states gain or • For more information visit lose seats, that triggers redistricting of www.fairdistrictspa.com congressional districts. Census data is also used for other purposes, including distribution of • Learn about the Census federal funds to local communities. process and teach others about the importance of accurate How does the Census affect local communities? census counts. • For more information visit Businesses use census data to make www.census.gov determinations about where to do business or open new locations and facilities. Developers use • Contact your state legislators this information to determine where housing to tell them that you want should be constructed, where factories could be redistricting reform. built, and where infrastructure improvements • To find your legislators, visit need to happen. Local governments use census www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/I data to develop emergency preparedness plans. It egis/home/findyourlegislator/i is critical to accurately count each resident, to ndex.cfm ensure that they are counted only once, and • Write letters to the editor stating counted in the place where they reside. your position on redistricting Inaccurate counts can harm communities by reform and encouraging others to limiting funding opportunities, limiting economic contact their state legislators. activity, and reducing representation in Congress. • For letter writing tips, visit www.lwvberks.org/Ite -1. FAIR iirnt-’aflaf DISTRICTS PA Working to Ensure FAIR DISTRICTS & FAIR ELECTIONS Two Bills, One Commission Redistricting in Pennsylvania by district type: • Congressional districts are determined by a bill passed through the normal legislative process (neither PA nor U.S. constitutions have any significant language about this), so the congressional redistricting process may be changed through the normal legislative process as well. • Legislative districts are determined according to a process defined in the PA Constitution (i.e., a five-person politically appointed commission), so any change to this process requires an amendment to the PA Constitution. 201 7-18 REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL DISTRICT TYPE BILL INTENT OUTCOME SB 22 and Create • Congressional (federal) I an independent SB 22 Amended & passed in PA 118 722 redistricting commission to I Senate Legislative (state) (virtually I draw BOTH TYPES of • HB 722/ SB 22 Never brought identical) I distncts P to the floor in PA House 2019-20 REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL Two Bills, One Commission DISTRICT TYPE BILL INTENT TI MEL! NE Address election code to: • Create an independent redistricting Congressional HB 23 commission (normal legislative (Rep. process) (federal) F • Pass in 20 19-20 session Samuelson) • Include language protecting redistricting for both congressional and legislative districts • Pass in both the 2019-20 and 202 1-22 sessions Amend the PA Constitution to extend the • Voter referendum in May I HB 22 independent redistricting commission Legislative (state) I Primary Election of 2021 (Rep. Murt) established in HB 23 to BOTH TYPES of districts F • Commission will already F be in place with prior passage of HB 23 116 I—r,r%trr ‘I Inrri’;btirg, 1K)) ‘A 1 IrürI.’istrirtcl’/\corn nIo(n)Iairlii.I; iti.I’Aj ‘ni I I ______ ________ ________ Let’s End Gerrymandering in Pennsylvania Voters should choose their poUticians, not the other way around Gerrymandering generally happens in one of four ways: Who Dopc It & Why 0 • Party in power controls redistricting 1. Cracking 2. Packing 4. Kidnapping C every 10 years Lumpini OrawinneW5 • Bath major parties manipulate votint Dwidin5 a communit . communit3 tsjether district lines that distñcts to give themselves unfair to reduce its to concentrite an4 exclqde where the isolate its influence. incumbent lives. advantages 1 S. Its Negative Impacts S • Shifts focus to winning and control tAt It Itfi * rather than effective gDvernance • Increases gridlock and confLict inste What it Looks Like in Peunsylvania of problem-solving • Enables extreme viewpoints Ours is one of the most gerrymandered states in the entire District Boundary • Deepens voter frustration because country. Lawsuits may have provided a temporary fix for our politicians become less accountable nothing for state districts. County Boundary congressional districts, but they do our fewer choices at the ballot • Leads to I Just look at these examples: 10 i Dmi Northwest PA House District 17 i North Central PA House District?? Northeast PA Senate District 20 0 C eat re Co. 10 mi South Central PA Senate District 48 , Southeast PA House District 172 , i mi Southwest PA House District 58 1mi •1’ AIlchenyCo. Montgoniuiy Co. ‘a .— -- 7 PhIadetphia FAIR What We Can Do About It QISTRICTS Join thousands of Pennsylvanians from across the pobtical spectrum in supporting a permanent nonpartisan solution to pA gerrymandering. We want an independent citizens redistricting commission, with strict rules for fairness and transparency. Other states have done it. It works. www.FaIrDIitrlotiPA.coin ____ Draw the Lines PA Join the effort to put voters back at the center of democracy. Attend our events and Learn how to Slay the Gerrymander. (Food and fun activities). Draw your own election maps, using our free mapping tool. (Your map could win a prize.) Voice how you want to be counted and represented in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. Prove that the people of Pennsylvania are ready, willing and able to Draw the Lines. Draw the Lines PA is for people of all ages from all over our state: 2 mapping competitions a year in 3 divisions: school, college and adult. Enter as an individual or team. • Win up to $5,000 with your map. Teachers and students: Draw the Lines PA is especially for you. Check out our school curriculum. drawtbelinespa.org ©drawthelinespa I.
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