Population Deviation Over Time
We aspire to live in a world of 1 person 1 vote, giving all individuals equal political power, but individuals living in districts with less population have greater political power than those in districts with greater population. Redistricting is an opportunity to rectify the population shifts of the past 10 years but this can also be done proactively. While it is acceptable to have minimal population deviation at the start of the 10 year cycle, it seems that the Preliminary Apportionment Plan is setting up some individuals to be far more politically powerful than others ten years from now. This map has districts 64, 65, 66, 67, and 75 around Allegheny National Forest and districts 71, 72, 78, and 80 around Johnstown starting the cycle already thousands of people below average despite being the fastest shrinking parts of the state. It then chooses to have some of the fastest growing districts start the cycle already thousands above average such as districts 87, 88, 104, 105, 106, and 199 around Harrisburg, districts 98, 101, and 102 around Lebanon, and districts 70, 146, 151, 153, and 167 of the Philly suburbs. If the population shift of the last 10 years continues, by 2030 a resident of District 67 (2030 pop 52,889) will have 43% more political power than a resident of District 167 (2030 pop 75,711), up from the current 8%.