Fair Representation in Centre County
My name is Carline Crevecoeur, and I am an elected official in Centre County. I am writing today to ask that the preliminary PA House district lines for Centre County and the Commonwealth, shared with the public on Thursday, December 16, 2021, remain as proposed. I am extremely thankful for the transparency and fairness so far seen in the process. The creation of a new, more competitive district in Centre County (HD-82) better represents the region as a whole, and further recognizes the demographics of the residents currently being represented by Rep. Scott Conklin (HD-77) and House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (HD-171). These proposed lines address the severe gerrymandering Centre County has been subjected to over the past decade. They keep districts compact and contiguous, and only separates two of the most populous municipalities – State College Borough and Ferguson Township – which is a necessity for the fair distribution of the population and representation of the demographics in the region but, unfortunately, does not take advantage of it. Centre County is currently leaning more Democratic. But it is currently split into four different House districts, three of which are tied in with other counties and lean Republican. Our voices are not accurately represented across the Commonwealth. Keeping the population centers in a more compact and contiguous manner, and with three districts as opposed to four, makes it fairer, while also keeping it competitive. I hope you’ll take these remarks into account in approving the final map. Thank you for your commitment and efforts towards upholding Pennsylvania’s democracy. Sincerely, Carline Crevecoeur, MD SCASD School Board Director