If you're a bit confused about the state's redistricting and what it means for local legislative seats, you're not alone.
The state Supreme Court's decision last week to invalidate the reapportionment plan for all the state's 203 House Districts and 50 Senate Districts has everyone, including many lawmakers, puzzled as well.
State Reps. Garth Everett, R-Muncy, and Rick Mirabito, D-Williamsport, saw their respective districts slightly altered under the proposal.
Now, both are waiting to see what new plan the Legislative Reapportionment Committee comes up with.
The state and federal Constitutions require electoral districts to be redrawn every 10 years to reflect population shifts.
Under the plan rejected by the court, Everett's 84th District would have lost the borough of Montgomery and Clinton and Woodward townships. He stood to gain Hepburn and Lycoming townships in Lycoming County and White Deer and Gregg townships in Union County.
Mirabito, who represents the 83rd District, would add Montgomery and Clinton and Woodward townships and lose Hepburn and Lycoming townships.
State Sen. E. Eugene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, represents all of Lycoming, Bradford and Sullivan counties, and parts of Susquehanna and Union counties. Under the proposed plan, he would have added six additional municipalities in Union County to his 23rd Senate District.
Until a new plan is devised, all House and Senate districts will remain as they've been since 2001 when the last changes were made, according to Matthew Keeler, a state spokesman.
Everett said he believes that when all is said and done, the final plan will look the same as the proposed one, at least with respect to area districts.
He said it appears that about eight municipalities in the state's southeastern and southwestern regions are those actually being challenged.
Mirabito agreed that it's likely the changes made under the most recent proposed scenario will be adopted locally.
"They don't want to change all 203 districts," Mirabito said. "They'll probably change what's needed to comply with the (court) ruling."
Mirabito said for now, at least, he'll collect the needed signatures for his nomination petitions in his district as it has exists under the 2001 reapportionment.
Everett said he is collecting signatures in the proposed added municipalities of his 84th District as well as the existing ones.
Larry Stout is hoping that the 83rd House District will include Clinton Township as drawn up under the rejected reapportionment plan.
Stout, who lives in the district, announced this week his plan to run in the Republican primary. Harry Rogers, of South Williamsport, is the only other Republican candidate who has announced for that seat.
Stout said he has his eye on capturing the seat held by Mirabito, which under the proposed plan would include Clinton Township.
And if Clinton Township remains in Everett's district?
"I will only run against Mirabito," he insisted.
