House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton votes in favor of Legislative Reapportionment Commission’s Final Legislative Maps

Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Phila/Delaware, released the following statement during the meeting of the Legislative Reapportionment Commission:

Good Afternoon, and thank you, Chairman Nordenberg.

Initially, as we take this important step today, I want to extend my sincere thanks to you and the team you have assembled for your dedicated work throughout this redistricting cycle. I know how hard you have worked, how many hours you have put in, and how your dedicated public service resulted in a better process and product for the people of this commonwealth. Mr. Chairman, Judge Byer, Dr. Cervas, Renny and Ann-Marie, thank you for your commitment and service.

From our first meeting until today, Mr. Chairman, you have demonstrated a commitment to fairness and transparency. This commitment has remained steadfast - even in the face of bad faith, partisan and politically motivated attacks unbefitting of you and the process you have led. You have risen above the noise and remained focused on your commitment to deliver a fair, constitutionally sound map.

During the last several months, this Commission has heard valuable feedback from citizens and stakeholders across the Commonwealth. We have solicited and considered analysis from a cross-section of highly qualified academics and experts in this field. As some of my fellow Commissioners have noted previously, getting to this point has been far from easy. Mr. Chairman, you have challenged all of us to consider every option. To hear every voice. This commission, under the steady and scholarly hand of Chairman Nordenberg, has truly set a new standard for redistricting in Pennsylvania.

The time and attention that we dedicated to this process informed the Preliminary Plan we adopted in December, and the input we have received since its adoption only further refined and improved the House map we are voting on today.

The House map that we vote on today is fair, representative and satisfies all constitutional requirements. I am proud to vote in favor of the final plan. I look forward to the implementation of this new, fair and representative House map in the upcoming 2022 primary election and for the next decade.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.