The bipartisan group of petitioners who sued Upper Providence Township for gerrymandering the voting districts ahead of the 2023 Council elections presented their case in Court in May and are now in the final phases of submitting their case to the Court of Common Pleas. The findings will be in the Judge’s hands by the early July, and we should have a result by mid- to late-August. The residents made a very strong argument to the court, demonstrating how Council could have achieved population balance across the Township by moving just a few hundred residents, instead of moving the thousands they are proposing and, in doing so, they shifted the partisan balance of the Township strongly in favor of the Majority party.
Unfortunately, a legal battle against the government (funded by the taxpayers) is expensive. While the petitioners have volunteered hundreds of hours of their own personal time for free, and have collected a couple thousand dollars to cover the costs, the legal fees and representation costs are still stacking up. The petitioners are raising funds on GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/39b5ee56) to offset these legal fees.
If everyone who reads this donates even just $30, the petitioners could reach their target and have their costs completely covered. Please forward that GoFundMe to any sympathetic friends, family, or neighbors as well - every donation will help!
April 2023 Update
The judge at the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas who is assigned to this case recently ruled in favor of the bipartisan group of UPT citizens who sued the Township for gerrymandering UPT ahead of the 2023 Council elections. The Township, rather than drawing equitable maps in good faith and listening to the concerns expressed by their constituents, spent taxpayer money trying to "quash" the petitioner's suit and have the lawsuit thrown out to suppress the voice of the citizens. Luckily, the Delco Court of Common Pleas sided with the petitioners and the case will be heard in Court.
The lawsuit will be heard Wednesday, May 10th at 9 AM in Courtroom 8 at the Media Courthouse.
We encourage all residents who are upset with the way the Township Council has handled themselves during this redistricting effort to make a plan to attend this court date in May. It will show the Judge that this is not some afterthought lawsuit, but rather that this is a deeply held concern among residents of the Township. You don’t even need to speak or participate - your mere presence will make a huge difference. If you are unfamiliar with what has transpired, you can read a summary in the tabs provided throughout this website. If you are able, the bipartisan petitioners are raising funds on GoFundMe to help cover the costs of their legal expenses in Court.