What does redistricting mean to you?
Guest blog by Senator Roy Afflerbach, Ret.
After the 2014 Legislative Elections, many Pennsylvania voters will be represented by someone new, because their district will have changed. The district boundary changes approved by the Supreme Court this week mean that some people will have a new legislator. Now is the time to plan to make new friends with potential legislators…or maybe even consider seeking election to the in a newly configured district.
Who is going to represent me?
The first thing to do is to check your voter registration card to verify which voting municipality precinct or local district you reside. If you can’t find your voter registration card, you can contact the voter registration office in your county find out which municipal local voting district you are in.
Next, consult the “Legal” description of the new Legislative Districts. There is a link to the Interactive District maps at http://www.theafflerbachgroup.com/. The new districts are listed in numerical order, and include the municipalities currently within that district. In cases where municipalities are divided, the local municipal voting districts will be specified in the Legislative District Legal Description.
Now you can can look at either the House or Senate interactive district map link on the Afflerbach Group site to compare the new district with the present district. The maps provide an overlay of the present and new district configuration for each district. If you are in both, your legislator will not change unless he or she chooses not to seek reelection, or is defeated.
If you do not reside in both the present and the new configuration, you will have a new legislator after the 2014 elections. For example, the 40th Senatorial District will be moved across the state and its present configuration will be divided among other Senatorial Districts. Therefore, everyone residing in the 40th District will be represented by a new Senator.
Check back next week for the next Humane PA blog covering the next step toward making a new friend – and how to be a “Super-voter!”
In addition to being a co- founder and Treasurer of Humane PA PAC, Senator Roy C. Afflerbach, Ret. is founder and President of The Afflerbach Group, LLC.
Several of these district changes may be affecting legislators who are supportive of humane legislation. We will be keeping a close eye on their voting records this session, as well as who declares as a candidate. More info from Politics PA about what races may be the most affected by re-districting: Redistricting Aftermath: Potential Member Vs. Member Battles
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