Our friends at Draw the Lines, an annual PCSS Conference sponsor, have several timely updates for us. Yesterday, the PA House and Senate leadership certified the formation of the Legislative Reapportionment Commission (LRC), officially launching the state’s legislative redistricting process. The LRC will be the body that draws PA’s state house and senate voting maps to be used for the decade. The announcement was historic, in that both Representative Joanna McClinton (Philadelphia) and Senator Kim Ward (Westmoreland) will be the first women to serve on the LRC. Further, Leader McClinton will be the first person of color on the LRC. Congratulations to them both. 

The four elected officials named yesterday are charged with choosing the fifth and final member of the commission, who will serve as Chair. The Pennsylvania Constitution gives these four members 45 days to select this individual. If they don’t come to a consensus, the State Supreme Court will make the selection.

To mark the occasion, Draw the Lines PA released a video featuring David Thornburgh, son of former Pennsylvania Republican Governor Dick Thornburgh, and Jane Leader Janeczek, daughter of former Pennsylvania Democratic Governor George Leader, jointly calling on lawmakers to open the chair selection process to the public.

Watch the video and share widely! drawthelinespa.org/thornburgh-leader. 

In the coming days, Draw the Lines will announce a forum for Pennsylvanians to apply to serve as the fifth member of the LRC. We hope to have 1,001 Democrats, 1,001 Republicans, and 1,001 independents apply. Such massive interest will demonstrate that Pennsylvanians are ready, willing, and able to lead this process. https://drawthelinespa.org/petition

Draw the Lines will also work with the LRC to help identify candidates worthy of consideration. PCSS members fit that role.
Be on the lookout for the opportunity to apply!

Third… Next week, Draw the Lines will send out a letter to leaders with an eye-catching card with a QR code of the Thornburgh-Leader video, and blue and red Draw the Lines pens, making the point that Pennsylvanians are ready to grab the digital mapping pen in 2021. 

Fourth… In April, David Thornburgh will be launching a tour of Pennsylvania from Draw the Lines' famed Voteswagon van. Hitting 18 stops over 4 weeks, from Erie to Carbondale to Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, the tour will publicly launch Draw the Lines' 2021 action plan around the fifth member and coming PA Voters Map Commission.


Questions? Contact:
Justin Villere
Draw the Lines Managing Director
A project of the Committee of Seventy
719-651-1188 (cell)