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
David Thornburgh, Chairman of the Bipartisan Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission
David Thornburgh on the Importance of Fair Elections
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.
March 23, 2023
Statement on Chief Public Safety Officer Charter Amendment
March 16, 2023
Committee of Seventy Releases Democracy Agenda for Philadelphia
February 06, 2023
Testimony on Civil Service Exemption for Citizens Police Oversight Commission
January 27, 2023
Testimony on Rules Reform and Bipartisanship
January 26, 2023
BallotPA Testimony on Bipartisanship for Speaker's Workgroup
