The Peoples' Maps eliminates partisan bias
My name is Paige Seeherman. I am a resident of New Hope. I am part of the Pennsylvania Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, giving testimony for fair and racially equitable maps. I would like the Legislative Reapportionment Commission to create maps that adhere to the Peoples Maps released by Fair Districts and the unity maps created by PA Voice. I ask the LRC to adopt maps based on The Peoples’ Maps because they are built on respect for racial representation, eliminating partisan bias, and keeping communities. They incorporate Unity Maps created by communities of color, mapping their own lives and communities. Over 1,000 citizens were part of creating and advocating for The People’s Maps. I am particularly bothered by partisan bias in redistricting, which is a critical issue, one that I pray you can work together to avoid. Nothing reduces trust in government and increases apathy and division more than what I would call attempts to cheat Pennsylvanians from true representations. The time has never been more critical to uphold the standards of fairness. I’d also like to highlight that in some of PA’s smaller cities, communities of color are splintered, undermining attempts by people of color to elect representatives who reflect their communities. I hope that you are already aware of this. It matters. People of color are responsible for all the growth in PA’s population over the last 10 years. Addressing their under representation in the General Assembly is long overdue.