Registered voters filed suit Friday, asking the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania to intervene in the state’s 2021 redistricting process.

In the last decade, Pennsylvania’s population has grown more slowly than other states.  These changes are reflected in the 2020 census data. The Pennsylvania legislature is required to construct a new congressional map based on that data by January 24. So far, the legislature has failed to take meaningful steps toward final approval.

By failing to take those steps, petitioners argue that the legislature is in violation of the state and federal constitutions. Without legislative action, the courts are obligated to intervene.

Following federal reapportionment, Pennsylvania lost one seat in the US House of Representatives. The current dispute is over how the remaining 17 districts will be drawn.

District boundaries were previously redrawn by the court in 2018 due to concerns of gerrymandering.