PENNSYLVANIA (AND THE NATION) CLEARLY SUPPORT REDISTRICTING/RULES REFORM
In 2016, Fair Districts PA began its efforts to educate the public and the press about the need for a fair and independent system of redistricting for Pennsylvania’s congressional and state legislative districts. Today, we’re fueled by an army of over 6,500 volunteers.
We’ve made 1,361 presentations to citizen groups statewide, attended by 53,201 people, appeared on scores of radio and TV public affairs programs and podcasts, and talked with numerous editorial boards. The results:
- Reform bills to create an independent redistricting commission tallied more bipartisan co-sponsors than any legislation of the 2017-18 session. House Bill 722 gained 110 cosponsors, with many from both parties, a strong majority of PA’s 203 representatives. It was gutted in committee with little advance notice and never voted out of committee. Senate Bill 22 was amended in committee, then moved to the Senate floor. There it was amended to include another constitutional amendment creating judicial districts for PA’s appellate courts, and voted out of the Senate on a party line vote. It was buried in the House under over 680 amendments and never given a final vote.
- In April 2018 (a week after HB 722 was gutted in committee), FDPA held the largest rally in the capitol rotunda within a decade or more. That rally resulted in new rules limiting the size of public gatherings in the capitol building.
- In the 2019-20 session, House Bills 22/23 had the most co-sponsors of all bills filed (99/97). Companion Senate Bills 1023/1022 had 19/20 cosponsors respectively. None of the bills were given a committee vote.
- In early 2021, FDPA supporters met with 200 of 253 state Senators and Representatives asking them to co-sponsor and support HB22/SB222 (Legislative and Congressional Redistricting Act, LACRA) to promote redistricting fairness, transparency, public input and mapping guidelines. Despite 90 House and 25 (50%) Senate co-sponsors, the Senate bill was gutted with little advance notice after nearly a year of effort and never voted upon.
- Statewide ${passedTotal} governing bodies, including ${passedCounties} county commissions, have declared their support for fair redistricting practices. These elected bodies, with both Republican and Democratic majorities, represent over 9 million Pennsylvanians—70% of the state population.
- The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB) passed a resolution of support. PSAB represents 956 PA boroughs with a combined population of 2.6 million Pennsylvanians.
- 130,046 Pennsylvanians have signed petitions supporting an independent commission. Another 19,595 have signed petitions calling for fair rules reforms.
- Our supporters have called, visited legislative offices and sent thousands of letters, emails and faxes to their local legislators calling for change.
- Hometown newspapers have printed 709 letters to the editor supporting reform.
- In addition to writing over 1,941 news articles about redistricting, gerrymandering, and unfair rules, over 100 media outlets statewide, representing big cities and small towns and a full political spectrum, have run over 751 editorials, op-eds and columns—virtually ALL of them calling for reform. (Media Highlights)
- Redistricting reform is on the march nationwide. In the 2018 general election, voters in Michigan, Colorado, Utah and Missouri approved referendums to create independent commissions (MI, CO and MO by margins of 60-70 percent.)
PA polls have found that 2/3rds or more of Pennsylvanians support an independent commission, free of political influence and operating in total transparency.
April 18, 2018, Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center with Common Cause PA and League of Women Voters PA: 68% support an independent commission.
June 2018, Pittsburgh Quality of Life Survey by Pittsburgh Today and the University of Pittsburgh Center for Social and Urban Research. The
1.2 million residents of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County overwhelmingly support reform: 97% say it’s a problem and 76% believe an independent commission is the way to solve it, including two-thirds of Republicans.
October 2019, Franklin & Marshall Poll, 72% believe current system lets party leaders put their interests over those of voters. 67% favor an independent commission to draw voting district lines. (Dem 66%, Ind 78%, Rep 63%)
August 21, 2021 Franklin and Marshall Poll: 63% registered voters believe state redistricting practices need reformed;65% support having an independent commission redraw state legislative districts, a sentiment that crosses party lines: 76% of Dems, 69% of Inds, and 58% of Reps support the use of an independent commission to draw state legislative districts.
Take action today!