Making Sense of Redistricting and Reapportionment in the Valley...(So Far It Doesn't)

The maps you're about to see don't make sense for the Valley.  There's no other way to say it.  

From the beginning of the year, your Chamber of Commerce has worked diligently to engage in the process of redistricting and reapportionment, knowing that the business community cares about who represents them in Harrisburg and Washington.  In fact, as a regional organization, your Chamber's Government Affairs Committee held listening sessions and then provided testimony to state legislators about "communities of interest" and how they figure in map-making.  Your Chamber's leaders shared what we all know to be true - that there are certain unseen boundaries of community and culture, historic and otherwise that are "... familiar to residents and easily distinguishable for voters."  As legislators worked to re-map the Commonwealth, your Chamber asked that considerations be made for the Valley's communities of interest.  Specifically, we asked for consideration of natural travel patterns; we drew a comparison between the scientific "watershed"  and the very real patterns of the "employment shed" or "job shed"; we asked for consideration of existing inter-county collaboration such as in 9-1-1, economic development, and more.  We shared the importance of the Valley's clearly delineated footprints of local media, tourism boards, agricultural, social, and healthcare resources.  We made clear that there is an unbreakable bond that must be between the intact communities of Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour and Columbia Counties at the very least, and the bonds that additionally tie Lycoming County to our hope for future shared prosperity.

What we know for certain is that our best hopes for prosperity are homegrown.  Breaking up our natural communities of interest, as has been done in the preliminary maps released to date, deals a disastrous blow to those hopes.  These maps matter...in fact, they matter a lot.    

On December 17, 2021, as your Chamber gathered for an end-of-year review of policy decision and a look ahead to 2022, members gathered to discuss progress on policy including the electoral maps.  The event featured Keynote Speaker Alex Halper, Director of Government Affairs for the PA Chamber of Business & Industry, as well as an up-to-the-minute analysis of what's been presented so far by our staff.  Below, you'll find access to the recording of our discussion, as well as a slideshow referred to in the discussion.  

Watch the Video

Making Sense of Redistricting and Reapportionment in the Valley (Slideshow)

Engage Directly in this process through the links below:  
View the preliminary reapportionment maps here.

Here is a link to the notice of preliminary apportionment plan and information on filing of objections during the 30 day period to file exceptions.

Additional information on legislative reapportionment (PA State Senate and PA House districts)

Updates on Congressional (Federal, US House) Redistricting