The speaker of the Pennsylvania House says he will schedule special elections to fill six vacancies, including three in Philadelphia.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the elections be held along with the state's April 24 primary election, in a ruling issued on Wednesday. The winners in the special election would serve the remainder of the 6 unexpired terms this year. The November 2012 election will determine who wins the full two-year House terms that would begin in Jan. 2013.
The court’s 4-3 decision said the fundamental right to representation in the six House districts is at stake.
But, Republican Speaker Sam Smith said in a statement Thursday the court majority had a “veiled agenda” that increased the court's power at the expense of the Legislature.
Four of the districts were represented most recently by Democrats.
In Philadelphia, Democrat Jewell Williams gave up his seat in the 197th House District to become Philadelphia Sheriff, and Democrat Kenyatta Johnson and Republican Dennis O’Brien stepped down from their 186th and 169th District seats to serve on Philadelphia City Council.
Smith had held up the special elections as the parties grapple with another high court decision that threw out a redistricting plan to account for population shifts under the 2010 census.
Politics
The Legislative Reapportionment Commission will hold a hearing in Harrisburg on Friday. There has been no decision yet on a new plan.
