Dear PA Legislator

Or this one: Researchers say Pennsylvania’s electoral system among worst in country.

Both, along with others like them, call attention to a recent study by the Electoral Integrity Project (EIP) that ranks Pennsylvania near the bottom in the integrity of our elections. Here’s the summary: Electoral Integrity in all 50 states, ranked by experts.

According to the EIP data, Pennsylvania rates third worst among our states for the fairness of its electoral boundaries. The score is 11 out of 100. Only Wisconsin and North Carolina score worse. Both states are still litigating boundaries drawn in 2011.

By other quantitative measures of gerrymandering, such as Stephanopoulos and McGhee’s efficiency gap, Pennsylvania is dead last for its Congressional districting.

Gerrymandering in Pennsylvania is undermining the integrity of our democracy. In most other nations, redistricting is done by an independent commission, reducing the obvious conflict of interest that occurs when politicians choose their own voters.

Fortunately, you can do something about this. Please support redistricting reform and the efforts of Fair Districts PA and the many legislators on both sides of the aisle who know this needs to be fixed. Bills have not yet been introduced for this session but they will be soon. We hope you will study this issue and add your co-sponsorship.

(For more about the Electoral Integrity Project, explanation of their work and comparison with other data check here: It’s even worse than the news about North Carolina: American elections rank last among all Western democracies.)