The Pennsylvania Supreme Court selected a new congressional district map, officially enacting that map as part of the post-2020 redistricting process on Feb. 23. Pennsylvania was apportioned 17 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, one fewer than it received after the 2010 census. This map will take effect for Pennsylvania’s 2022 congressional elections.
Over a dozen maps were submitted to the supreme court, including by the state legislature. The court ultimately selected the Carter map in a 4-3 ruling, which a group of Pennsylvania citizens that were petitioners in a redistricting-related lawsuit submitted. Justices Max Baer (D), Christine Donohue (D), Kevin Dougherty (D), and David Wecht (D) ruled in the majority. Justices Debra Todd (D), Sallie Mundy (R), and Kevin Brobson (R) dissented.
The state supreme court took authority over the redistricting process after Gov. Tom Wolf (D) vetoed the legislature’s enacted map on Jan. 26. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to approve the vetoed map 110-91 on Jan. 12, and the Pennsylvania State Senate voted 29-20 to approve the map on Jan. 24. Following Wolf’s veto, the authority for determining a new map initially rested with a lower court, but in a Feb. 2 order, the supreme court ruled that it would have control over the process to select a new congressional map.
As of Feb. 23, 35 states have adopted congressional district maps, and one state has approved congressional district boundaries that have not yet taken effect. Federal or state courts have blocked previously adopted maps in two states, and six states have not yet adopted new congressional redistricting plans. As of Feb. 23 in 2012, 40 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans.
States have completed congressional redistricting for 347 of the 435 seats (79.8%) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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