Proposed Bucks County Redistricting
I am a Democrat and generally favor proposals that would give my party a fairer shot at winning a fair percentage of those elected to the PA House of Representatives. The percentage of votes cast for Democrats in State House elections is pretty consistently higher than the percentage of Democrats elected to the House, for reasons fair and foul. I serve on the Bucks County Courier Times Editorial Board, and listened to Rep. Frank Farry's critique of the current redistricting proposal, centered around (1) the competitiveness of the resulting districts, and (2) the disruptive degree to which Bucks County voters are moved from one legislative district to another. I must admit, reluctantly, that I found his arguments compelling. The editorial written by John Anastasi (Editorial Page Editor for the Courier Times) and published this morning was, to my mind, persuasive and reflects my own conclusions about the map. Rep. Farry and I disagree on many matters, but he is both thoughtful and fair-minded. I would urge the LRC to consider the alternatives he has proposed, and the Chair of the LRC to meet with him and work out a better compromise at least for this county.