December 31, 2021 – The congressional redistricting process in Pennsylvania appears to be at an impasse. A map drawn by the Pennsylvania House Government Committee, controlled by Republicans, has drawn sharp rebuke from Democratic Governor Tom Wolf. In two consolidated cases, Carter v. Degraffenreid and Gressman v. Degraffenreid, voters are asking the Pennsylvania Supreme Court […]
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. If you need help or have questions at the polls, or witness any voter harassment or intimidation, call the national Election Protection hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). We are proud to be part of the coalition of organizations across the country staffing this resource for voters, led by the Lawyers’ Committee […]
As Election Day approaches, your options to cast your ballot are becoming clearer. As always, you can choose to vote in person. Mail-in voting is also easy and secure. And, on September 17, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania cleared up many of the most pressing questions about voting by mail, when it ruled on five election-related issues in Pennsylvania Democratic Party v. Boockvar. A breakdown of the ruling, and what it means for voters, is below.
Any change to the voter-registration process of course requires adjustment. However, we at the Public Interest Law Center feel that our election officials’ top priority should be making voting easy for as many voters as possible. Moving the registration deadline closer to Election Day, as we have advocated for many years, will go a long way toward that goal.
The new report of the Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission makes thoughtful, constructive proposals for changing the way Pennsylvania draws district lines. The Public Interest Law Center believes the report provides an excellent road map for much-needed reform.
Governor Wolf announced comprehensive voting rights reform proposals that would modernize Pennsylvania’s election system, bringing the Commonwealth into step with the rest of the nation.
On September 28, 2017, we hosted a CLE seminar: Straight Talk on Crooked Lines – The Impact of Gerrymandering on the Democratic Process. Watch a video of that seminar.
Gill v. Whitford oral argument transcript
The Census Bureau submitted a proposal to continue counting incarcerated people at the particular facility that they happen to be located at on Census Day. If made final, this proposal will mean another decade of decisions in many states based on a Census that counts incarcerated people in the wrong place.
The State of Pennsylvania issued a press release announcing their membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a sophisticated data matching service founded in 2012 by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
