Join Fair Districts PA, League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts for a town hall about judicial districts. Carol Kuniholm, Chair of Fair Districts PA will give a presentation on the issue followed by a panel discussion with Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts President Deborah Gross and others.
In the 2019-2020 session, the PA General Assembly passed a constitutional amendment that would empower our state legislature to create judicial districts for PA higher courts. Candidates for Supreme Court and other appeals courts would be elected by voters in these districts rather than running statewide. If that amendment passes again early this next session, it could go to a public vote as soon as the 2021 primary election.
In effect, the judicial district amendment would undermine constitutional checks and balances among our branches of state government and would open the door to a new, unprecedented version of gerrymandering. No other state allows legislators as much power in drawing judicial districts.
The bill was pushed through without public hearings, expert testimony or any hint of due diligence, with just minutes spent in discussion in both house and senate committees.
RVSP today! A Zoom link will be sent to you the day of the event.