Pennsylvania Redistricting
I live in Allegheny County and write in support of the proposed changes for the House PA maps for the districts 46, 40, and 39. In the current map, all 3 of these districts are drawn across Allegheny and Washington county boundaries. This is against the recommended county boundary consideration, and has, frankly, been done to dilute democratic vote of a more urban Allegheny County area, and instead assure republican dominance due to inclusion of parts of Washington County with their more rural residents. Residents of these districts that live in Allegheny County do deserve better representation. Washington and Allegheny counties are distinctly different, and their residents' needs are likewise distinctly different. The proposed map addresses prior map’s excessive vote manipulation, gathers Allegheny County voters in one district (39), Washington County voters in the next district (46) and splits only one district between these 2 counties (40). I would like to thank the Commission for making these changes. I would also like to ask the Commission and the team drawing the new maps that they explicitly reject protection of incumbents through such means as considering an incumbent’s address, as doing so would reinforce previously unfair district boundaries.