Harrisburg, PA – Common Cause Pennsylvania applauds Governor Tom Wolf’s efforts to address partisan gerrymandering in our state. Wolf’s executive order will give Pennsylvanians a chance to be heard on an important and fundamental question of our representative democracy – who represents our communities in the state legislature, the US House and Senate.

“We applaud Governor Wolf for his executive order to create a new Redistricting Commission. We hope this commission will bring meaningful redistricting reform recommendations before the administration, legislature and citizens of the Commonwealth,” said Micah Sims, Executive Director of Common Cause Pennsylvania.

“Other US states, such as California, have redrawn districts to truly reflect not only distinct communities but those communities’ core values. We believe this commission, along with our continued work to educate and engage citizens about redistricting reform, will help reflect the chief concerns and hopes of residents across the state,” added Sims.

Elections should represent the will of the people, not politicians. But partisan politicians manipulate voting maps to entrench their power and their party’s power. This effort by Pennsylvania’s bi-partisan redistricting commission will help reform district map-drawing rules and make the process impartial, so that our government is of, by, and for the people. Fair maps will create a system that allows voters to choose their politicians, instead of politicians choosing their voters.

Common Cause Pennsylvania works for redistricting reform through fair maps, independent commissions and ending gerrymandering in Pennsylvania.

Learn more at https://www.commoncause.org/pennsylvania/our-work/ensure-fair-districts-reflective-democracy/