Feb 22, 2018 2 min read

When I ask my neighbors if they’re going to vote, whether it’s in a presidential election or the smaller elections that occur in off years, I mostly hear “Why bother?” or “It doesn’t make a difference whether I vote or not.”

And even though I always vote, I must agree with my neighbors. In the 9th or 18th U.S. congressional districts, both of which include Greene County, it often feels like the issues are already decided before voting occurs. Greene County is broken up by the borders of these two voting districts through gerrymandering.

Gerrymandering occurs when the majority party creates voting district borders so that most people will vote for their party, often dividing communities in the process. This method of manipulating borders was named for Elbridge Gerry in 1812, then the governor of Massachusetts. To ensure his own election, the governor altered the district into a shape that people thought looked like the convoluted feet and body of a salamander, hence the word. Check out the progression of the 8th Congressional District around Philadelphia to get a good example of how crazy the borders can be formed and reformed. Pennsylvania is one of the most gerrymandered states in the country.

Our legislators, behind closed doors, created a map which divided Greene County. The 9th district stretches to also include Chambersburg and Altoona. The 18th Congressional District includes both Bethel Park and Westmoreland County. Dividing Greene County means that important issues are often pushed under the rug.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently decided that Pennsylvania’s current district borders are unconstitutional, and mandated the borders be redrawn prior to the May primary election. It unveiled its map on Monday. New maps will again be created after the 2020 census. At issue here is who will be allowed to change the borders of each voting district after the census?

Our legislators were given that privilege but abused it for political gain.

Currently, two bills in the Pennsylvania General Assembly – Senate Bill No. 22 and House Bill No. 722 – provide for independent commissions of qualified persons to draw district borders. In addition, these persons will be chosen to represent all political parties, not just the majority party. Our politicians should be released from the task of redistricting, so they can work on issues that really matter to us.

Genevieve Bardwell

Mt. Morris