I’m responding to the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners’ resolution calling for a citizens commission in Pennsylvania to oversee state legislative and congressional redistricting.
As good as it sounds using the word “citizens,” a citizens commission is open to as much gerrymandering activity as has been done by political parties in the past. Even the selection of a nonpartisan citizens’ commission can be manipulated to produce the outcome desired by the political party in power.
Besides, very few voters are non-partisan. Even those registered as independent often favor one party or another.
So might there be a better alternative? Perhaps a lottery of random-pick voters interested in serving on a redistricting commission?
Lea Ann Hunter
Whitehall Township
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