State lawmakers must draw a new map of Pennsylvania’s Congressional districts.
This time it will have 17, instead of 18 districts.
This time they will do it with public input, thanks to Representative Seth Grove who chairs a House committee that will get that input at several public meetings and also through a website.
The goal is making the process more transparent and to prevent extreme Gerrymandering.
Residents will be able to draw and submit their own maps.
We could do worse.
The last map, created and approved in about one week, was later thrown out and redrawn by the state Supreme Court because it unfairly benefited one political party.
This time, a Republican majority legislature will send a Democratic governor a map he can veto.
If there’s a standoff, the PA high court could again get involved.
Perhaps not, since citizens can offer some suggestions.