Website, hearings are planned
Legislative leaders are promising to break with history and saying voters will be able to keep a close eye on the redistricting process in 2011.
The process, which reshapes Pennsylvania’s legislative and congressional districts once every decade, is traditionally shrouded in secrecy and political deal-making. Thanks to technology and the reform movement in Harrisburg, that might change this year.
State Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Chester) was the first to make a public call for a transparent redistricting process. After meeting with the leaders from several citizens’ groups last Friday, Mr. Pileggi wants to “make the redistricting process as transparent as possible,” said Erik Arneson, the senator’s spokesperson.
Specifically, Mr. Pileggi wants to set up a public website allowing voters to follow all aspects of the redistricting process, including any proposed maps produced as the process moves along. He also plans to hold at least five public hearings in different locations around the state to allow residents to contribute to the process and comment on proposals.
This week, other legislative leaders joined Mr. Pileggi in promising an open and public process.
Lisa Scullin, spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), said Wednesday the senator supports Mr. Pileggi’s efforts to open the process and seek greater participation from voters.
“It is lengthy and painstaking, and [Mr. Costa] agrees that transparency has to be the over-riding principle which guides the process,” said Ms. Scullin.
House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) “shares the goal” of increased transparency and is optimistic the leaders will follow through with promises to put all redistricting information online, said Bill Patton, spokesperson for House Democrats.
Keeping voters involved in the process is much easier than it was 10 years ago thanks to advances in technology, said Mr. Patton.
The office of House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) did not return requests for comment, but in a joint statement released Thursday by the four legislative leaders, Mr. Turzai promised a “very public process.”
“Fairness, efficiency and openness will be our guiding principles,” said Mr. Turzai. “I certainly hope people follow our progress and participate through the public hearings, our forthcoming website or writing us personally.”
If the leaders remain true to their words, it will be a significant change from previous decades, said Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, one of the groups pressing for reforms in the process.
“It’s a promising step, but we’ll see how it plays out,” he said. “In the past this has been a sordid process but they are talking the good talk right now.”
Particularly at the state level, these are few rules governing the oversight of the redistricting process.
A commission of five individuals is responsible for redrawing the state House and state Senate districts. The commission is comprised of the four legislative leaders and a fifth member appointed by the other four.
If the four leaders cannot agree on the fifth member of the commission, the state Supreme Court makes an appointment.
The five-member commission has the final word on the map, which does not need to be approved by the General Assembly or the governor. The final map can be challenged in the state Supreme Court, but the court rarely interferes because it views redistricting as a political process of a separate branch of government. No public hearings are required at any point during the process.
The congressional map must be approved by both chambers of the General Assembly and by Gov. Tom Corbett. The state constitution mandates districts have an equal number of residents, should be contiguous and should not divide existing municipalities into separate districts.
The leaders are seeking applicants for the final member of the state-level redistricting committee. Legislative leaders say they will hold public hearings to interview applicants for the position.
Mr. Kauffman said this is the first time he remembers the legislature opening up the selection process for the fifth commission member.
“I have been ensured it’s a genuine offer and I take them at their word until I see otherwise,” said Mr. Kauffman.
The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and Common Cause Pennsylvania are also pushing for the adopting of legislation to make some of the proposed reforms legally binding for future redistricting. The groups also support the creation of an independent, non-partisan commission to handle redistricting duties, but changing the process would require a constitutional amendment.
