“For too long the political gerrymandering of our Congressional districts has undermined the public’s trust in our democratic system. The Supreme Court ruled that the question of partisan gerrymandering in not-justiciable but can be limited by the States and Congress,” said Rep. Lowenthal.
He added that earlier this year, the House passed the People Act of 2019, which aims to secure U.S. election systems and protect its democracy. The legislation also included a provision that addresses partisan gerrymandering and requires candidates for President and Vice President to submit 10 years of tax return. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) decided to not bring it up to a vote.
Rep. Julia Brownley said, “Gerrymandering districts erodes the trust of the people and undermines democratic principles. Utilizing independent citizen redistricting commissions will result in a more transparent election process and more accountable representation.”
Pennsylvania already took steps to stop partisan gerrymandering in the state. Last year, state lawmakers introduced a bipartisan legislation to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to allow the creation of an independent commission responsible for redrawing congressional district maps.
