(Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)HARRISBURG, Pa. - A statewide court has given lawmakers and Gov.
Tom Wolf two weeks to break a stalemate around redrawing Pennsylvania's congressional districts to account for a decade of demographic shifts.The Commonwealth Court issued the order Friday, acting on a request last month for it to get involved in the process.
It set Jan. 30 for the deadline for it to render its judgment on proposals that are submitted to it.That deadline is barely two weeks before the date — Feb.
15 — when candidates can start circulating petitions to get on primary election ballots. The primary election is May 17.Any opinion by the Commonwealth Court is likely to be appealed to the state Supreme Court, raising the prospect that the petition window for congressional candidates will be delayed.The Commonwealth Court told parties in the case — including lawmakers, activists and Wolf — that they must submit a proposed map by 5 p.m.