PA Supreme Court rules congressional districts gerrymandered; must be redrawn
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
HARRISBURG, Dauphin County – The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled the commonwealth’s congressional district boundaries unconstitutional.
“First, the Court finds as a matter of law that the Congressional Redistricting Act of 2011 clearly, plainly and palpably violates the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and, on that sole basis, we hereby strike it as unconstitutional,” reads the Monday ruling in part.
The court has given the state legislature until February 15 to redraw the boundaries and submit the plan to the court.
Under the current map, Schuylkill County is the only full county within it’s district 17, which cuts through the Poconos and into the Lehigh and Wyoming Valley’s, including Easton, Wilkes-Barre,and Scranton.
Part of the ruling reads, “to comply with this Order, any congressional districting plan shall consist of: congressional districts composed of compact and contiguous territory; as nearly equal in population as practicable; and which do not divide any county, city, incorporated town, borough, township, or ward, except where necessary to ensure equality of population.”
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