Patrick Beaty explained in PennCaptial-Star today, how Republicans in the Pennsylvania Legislature can, and very well might amend the state constitution in order to create a legislative map that is more favorable to the GOP. Pennsylvania Republican Leadership is outraged over a plan put forth by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission (LRC), which they believe unfairly favors Democrats.
Representative Seth Grove has introduced HB 2207. It’s a constitutional amendment, which if passed, would enable Republicans to draw legislative maps in a way that is more favorable to the GOP.
Step One: Republican majorities in the Senate and House pass HB 2207 this year with no support among the minority Democrats (Governor Wolf also cannot block it with a veto because it’s a constitutional amendment which doesn’t require his signature).
Step Two: As required for all changes to the state constitution, they pass the same bill again in the following session of the General Assembly. The key here is to do it early enough in 2023 so it can go before the voters at the May municipal primary election when turnout will be low, but Republican voters will hopefully already be highly motivated for lots of other reasons.
Step Three: The voters approve the constitutional change because a “citizens commission” does sound like a good thing and because for some reason voters almost never vote against constitutional amendments.
Step Four: The new commission is appointed within a month and begins work drawing new maps to replace the maps approved in 2022 by the LRC. This brings us to about the beginning of September 2023 when the new commission must approve a preliminary redistricting plan by a two-thirds vote. Chances of that happening are slim and none because the commission is stacked with partisan appointees with no incentive to compromise.
Finally, Step Five: Because the bi-partisan “citizens commission” has failed to pass a preliminary plan by the deadline – just 60 days after they were appointed – the Senate and House take over and each pass a final district map for their own chamber. Not by a two-thirds vote, but by a simple majority of Republicans.
Currently, the state constitution calls for LRC to draw the boundaries for the State Senate and State House, every 10 years, after the Census.
The LRC is to be comprised of the leaders of both parties from the Senate and the House – with a fifth member, who is the chairman of the Commission.
From The Pennsylvania Constitution
The four members within 45 days after their certification shall select the fifth member, who shall serve as chairman of the commission, and shall immediately certify his name to such elections officer. The chairman shall be a citizen of the Commonwealth other than a local, State or Federal official holding an office to which compensation is attached. If the four members fail to select the fifth member within the time prescribed, a majority of the entire membership of the Supreme Court within 30 days thereafter shall appoint the chairman as aforesaid and certify his appointment to such elections officer.
This year the four LRC from the legislature failed to select the fifth member, so the State Supreme Court chose Mark Nordentberg to be the chairman.