PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio/AP) — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has given the final green light to new maps for the state House and Senate districts.
The bipartisan Legislative Redistricting Commission approved the maps by a 4-1 vote earlier this year. They will remain in effect for the coming decade.
Related podcast: The partisan effect of the most recent redistricting efforts.
More: Click here to see the new maps.
There were a handful of challenges, including one from House Republican leader Kerry Benninghoff of Centre County who called them an unconstitutional gerrymander.
His was the lone vote against the maps, while the other four members of the commission approved them.
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But the state Supreme Court dismissed all challenges to the maps, saying it follows the guidelines of the state Constitution.
The court is tweaking deadlines for things like filing petitions, but the primary remains scheduled for May 17.
The decision opens the way for candidates to begin circulating those petitions to get on the spring primary ballot.
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Late last week, elections officials in Bucks, Chester and other Pennsylvania counties asked the court to rule as quickly as possible on the maps.
Democrats hope the reshuffled legislative maps will help them make inroads into the Republicans' firm control over both chambers. The GOP currently has a 113-90 House majority and a 29-21 Senate majority based on maps that have been in place since the 2014 election.
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