Public input sought during local meeting on state redistricting

The new Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission has invited the Penn College community to a public meeting – set for Thursday, April 4, in downtown Williamsport – to talk about making the commonwealth's redistricting process fairer and nonpartisan. The session will be from 4-7 p.m. at the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, 201 W. Fourth St. Gov. Tom Wolf created the 15-member bipartisan commission by executive order in November and appointed David Thornburgh, president and CEO of the nonprofit Committee of Seventy, as its chairman. The commission will study best practices in other states and submit a report to the governor and state Legislature later this year with recommendations for a nonpartisan redistricting process that safeguards election integrity and fairness. The Williamsport session is one of nine to be held over the coming months; the commission also encourages Pennsylvanians to submit their comments online.