Dear Nether Providence Democrats:
Map of current PA gerrymander
By now, I am sure most of you are aware that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled today in the case brought by the League of Women Voters that the the Congressional District map adopted by the PA legislature violates the Pennsylvania Constitution. The state Supreme Court has ordered that the congressional districts be redrawn in time for the May primary. The new map must be in place by February 9. That should allow petitions to circulate as planned, but a delay would not surprise me. The Republican leadership in the Pennsylvania legislature has also promised to seek a stay from the US Supreme Court. Because the Pennsylvania Supreme Court expressly stated that it was rendering its decision under the state constitution, it will be hard for the Republicans to articulate a federal basis for staying their decision but this is politics. I expect to hear more about the petition process and the status of the appeal on or before the County Democratic Committee's leader's meeting on Wednesday and will report back. If the maps are redrawn, I expect that Nether Providence will move back to the 7th Congressional District. Stay tuned.