Politics & Government

GOP's Redistricting Plan Carves up Montgomery County

Montgomery County is further splintered in the congressional redistricting map put together by Republicans in the Pa. General Assembly.

The Republicans released their proposed map for the redistricting called for by the 2010 census on Tuesday and Montgomery County is getting the chop.

According to Phillyburbs.com, the new map features significant changes because the state's congressional delegation is losing a seat for the 2012 election thanks to the 2010 census. Pennsylvania will go from 19 to 18 seats, with each new district representing about 705,000 people. (In the 2000 census, Pennsylvania lost two seats, moving from 21 Representatives in Congress to 19.)

In the new map, Montgomery County is divided among five representatives — Mike Fitzpatrick (R-8), Allyson Schwartz (D-13), Bob Brady (D-2), Jim Gerlach (R-6, which includes Norristown) and Pat Meehan (R-7).

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Democrats can't do much to stop the Republican map from becoming law criticized the Republican effort to redraw the lines.

"The Republicans have proposed a map far more partisan and gerrymandered than anyone would have guessed, a map that they will now force into law without any public input," Jim Burn, Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman, stated in a press release. "We knew that the Republicans would use their control of the process to draw a map that benefited Republicans, but we did not expect them to abuse their power to this degree, all while shutting out the public."

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to Politics PA, the Democrats have released their own proposed map, though it's unlikely to go anywhere. (Download the Democrats' map in our PDF section.)

The map must be voted into law like any other bill and since Republicans are in control of the Legislature and the governor's office, it's likely it will become a reality soon.

Read more about the redistricting plan on Phillyburbs.com and at Politics PA. You can also find interactive redistricting maps on the Pennsylvania Redistricting website.


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