Aug. 18, 2016
HARRISBURG – Tuesday, Reps. David Parker (R-Monroe) and Mary Jo Daley (D-Montgomery) held a Capitol press conference to highlight their legislation,
House Bill 1835, which proposes a constitutional amendment to change the way that legislative and congressional district boundaries are drawn. The press conference was held just prior to the bill getting a public informational meeting before the House State Government Committee.
Parker and Daley expressed concern that when voters perceive the system as not fair, they tend to participate less.
“We are calling for a constitutional change to establish a citizen commission to draw legislative and Congressional redistricting maps with updated standards,” Parker said. “It would be a more open, transparent process and produce a more inclusive fair result.”
Currently, the state constitution grants redistricting authority to a Legislative Reapportionment Commission comprising the House and Senate majority and minority leaders and an appointed fifth member who is often a legal expert.
“I like elections and Election Day, so I am troubled when low voter turnout numbers are reported,” Daley said. “I am concerned that political polarization creates a barrier to good government. I am deeply concerned that our current redistricting process contributes to low voter turnout.”
Vince DeFilippo, Republican chair of the Cumberland County Commissioners, said the current system “cuts up our communities” and fails to adhere to the constitutional requirement that “no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a senatorial or representative district unless absolutely necessary.”
Nathan Benefield, of the Commonwealth Foundation, stressed that the reform effort is not a partisan one.
“We stand here today just a few hours after yet another Pennsylvania elected official was convicted of a crime,” Benefield said. “I think no one can deny that we have a crisis of trust in government and we need to create better openness, transparency and trust in state government.”
Also attending the bipartisan press conference were, Stephen DeFrank, chief of staff for Sen. Lisa Boscola, who has a companion bill in the Senate, Fair Districts PA Co-Chairs Barry Kauffman and Carol Kuniholm, and Rev. Sandra Strauss, of Pennsylvania Council of Churches, which is part of the 14 member coalition that makes up Fair Districts PA.
“We can no longer tolerate a system of elections in which the election outcomes are predetermined before the first vote is cast,” Kauffman said. “Let’s dump the system which allows lawmakers to pick their voters, instead of voters picking their lawmakers.”
View the press conference here.
View the State Government Meeting here.
Representative David Parker
115th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260.6443
clardner@pahousegop.com
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