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Issues

Committee of Seventy focuses on a variety of issues affecting voters in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia. Browse the issues we're currently working on, or review our archive for ongoing and past issues.
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Get Informed

Find out more information about being an active and engaged citizen in your community. From voting information to staying informed throughout the year, Committee of Seventy has resources for you.
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Take Action

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About
About

The Committee of Seventy was established in 1904 to combat corruption in Philadelphia, playing a major role in the adoption of civil service reforms and the passage of the 1919 and 1951 Home Rule Charters. A nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, Seventy does not endorse candidates or represent any special interests.
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Latest Updates

For over one hundred years, the Committee of Seventy has been the voice of good government and reform. For press inquiries, please contact us at 215-557-3600.
Build Your Ballot

Redistricting

Seventy advocates for fair district drawing to promote free, competitive elections.

Draw the Lines PA

In September 2018, the Committee of Seventy launched Draw the Lines PA, which became the largest known political mapping competition in the country's history. Offering significant cash prizes up to $5,000, this nonpartisan contest puts the same digital tools used by the political pros into the hands of Pennsylvania’s voters and students. Draw the Lines demonstrates that voters can lead a process that produces far better maps and a renewed sense of civic engagement among Pennsylvanians. Visit DTL's website, drawthelinespa.org, to learn how you can enter your own maps into the competition.

President and CEO of Seventy, David Thornburgh, and the Redistricting Commission

David Thornburgh's Testimony on Congressional Redistricting

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David Thornburgh, Chairman of the Bipartisan Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission

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David Thornburgh on the Importance of Fair Elections

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Draw the Lines PA

What's Redistricting?

Every ten years after the federal census, states are required to redraw the boundaries of their congressional and state legislative districts to ensure they remain equal in population. Each state has a different way of redistricting, and in Pennsylvania, congressional boundaries are determined by the General Assembly while state House and Senate districts are drawn by a five-member bipartisan commission. See Ballotpedia's primer on redistricting for an overview of the redistricting process in states across the country. For more on Pennsylvania, see this 101 guide by the nonpartisan Fair Districts PA coalition.

Gerrymandering: Drawing Crooked Lines

In many states including Pennsylvania, the redistricting process has proven highly vulnerable to gerrymandering, when districts are redrawn to give an advantage to certain parties, office holders or constituencies in elections. The consequences are numerous, including uncompetitive elections and diminished (or unfairly increased) influence of certain voters, all of which can contribute to political gridlock.

The Committee of Seventy urges voters across the state to draw their own maps through Draw the Lines PA and support Fair Districts PA in its work to fight for fairness and transparency in Pennsylvania's redistricting process. We are honored that our President and CEO David Thornborough was asked to chair the Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission and has been serving since 2018. Visit drawthelinespa.org to learn how you can participate in reform and follow DTL on Facebook and Twitter.