Township adopts resolution to end gerrymandering

West Vincent Township has joined over 360 municipalities and 22counties across Pennsylvania.

WEST VINCENT » West Vincent Township has joined over 360 municipalities and 22 counties across Pennsylvania in passing a Fair Districts Resolution.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution Feb. 18 seeking to end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania by calling for an independent redistricting commission to draw congressional and state legislative district lines. This was the fourth Chester County township resolution in five business days.

Gerrymandering is the practice of manipulating electoral district lines for the unfair political advantage of a person or party.

Language in the resolution states: “the creation of a truly independent citizens redistricting commission devoid of political motivation or partisanship will: ensure a fair, transparent, and accurate legislative and congressional redistricting process that respects political subdivisions; prohibit districts from being drawn to favor or discriminate against a political party or candidate; require the use of impartial and sound methodology when setting district boundaries; require public input; and fully comply with the constitutional requirement that “no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward” be divided “unless absolutely necessary, documents the municipality’s support of legislation that would create an independent citizens commission end the current practice of politicians approving maps describing the boundaries of their own voting districts.”

A September 2019 Franklin & Marshall Center for Opinion Research poll measured 67 percent of registered voters of both parties favor an independent redistricting commission, including majorities of Democrats, Independents , and Republicans.

Pennsylvania citizens and legislators working together in a bipartisan manner have crafted a Two-Bills-One-Commission solution that was introduced into the PA House by Rep. Thomas Murt (R-152nd Dist.) and Rep. Steve Samuelson (D135th Dist.) and in the Senate by Sen. Thomas Killion (R-9th Dist.) and Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-18th Dist.).

House Bills 22 & 23 currently have the most cosponsors of any bills introduced this session, and the recently-introduced matching Senate Bills 1022 & 1023 are currently collecting co-sponsorships.

West Vincent Township residents and Fair Districts PA supporters James Deisinger and John Barnett brought the resolution to their Board of Supervisors to sign.

“In a conservative township, the resolution was well-received by both the Board and the townspeople,” Deisinger said, making the point that support for an independent commission is not just a welcome innovation for only part of Pennsylvania’s voting population.

West Vincent Supervisor Sara Shick has read a lot about redistricting reform.

“A more fair way of creating voting districts is a good idea. Elected officials shouldn’t be drawing the lines,” she said.