One York County polling place will be divided in the 2018 primary

(Undated) — If you show up to one York County polling place on May 15, you might see Scott Perry on the ballot as your Republican choice for Congress. 

Your neighbors, meanwhile, might show up to that same polling place and see two other Republican candidates for Congress: Lloyd Smucker and Chet Beiler.

Confused? If you live in York Township, you might be.

But the head of York County’s elections office hopes to limit the confusion.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court split York County into two congressional districts after the court ruled the old map was an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. One municipality in York County is also split into two districts: York Township.

And on May 15, the Golden Connections Community Center will host voters from both the 10th and 11th districts.

This is the first time in at least several decades that York County is not unified in one congressional district.

ikki Suchanic, the county’s director of elections and voter registration, said she spoke with colleagues in other counties who had experience with split congressional districts.

Suchanic said keeping all voters at the same polling place should help avoid confusion.

“You don’t have to redirect someone to a whole new location,” Suchanic said.

She said poll workers will have a list of the registered voters and which district they are in, so that they can direct the voters.

And if you are a York Township voter and the Golden Connections Community Center doesn’t sound familiar, don’t worry. It used to be called the Red Lion Area Senior Center. It is where voters in Precinct 3 of Ward 5 in York Township will go.

Why was York County split?

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court didn’t provide an explanation.

Overall, the map splits fewer counties than the previous one. Counties in the Philadelphia suburbs are more unified than they were before.

Lancaster County went from having two districts to being covered by one. Dauphin County went from being covered by three districts to being covered by one.

About the 10th Congressional District

 

The 10th Congressional District includes the following municipalities in York County:

• The city of York
• The townships of Carroll, Conewago, Dover, East Manchester, Fairview, Franklin, Manchester, Monaghan, Newberry, Spring Garden, Springettsbury, Warrington, Washington, West Manchester and York (PART, Wards 01, 03, 04 and 05 [PART, Divisions 01, 02 and 03 (all blocks except 3020, 4030, 4033, 4037, 4048, 4049, 4050, 4051, 4052, 4053, 4054 and 4055 of tract 022910)]) 
• The boroughs of Dillsburg, Dover, Franklintown, Goldsboro, Lewisberry, Manchester, Mount Wolf, North York, Wellsville, West York, Yoe and York Haven

It also includes all of Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland County.

Four Democrats are running in the 10th Congressional District. U.S. Rep. Scott Perry is unopposed on the Republican side.

About the 11th Congressional District

 

The 11th Congressional District includes the following municipalities in York County:

• The townships of Chanceford, Codorus, East Hopewell, Fawn, Heidelberg, Hellam, Hopewell, Jackson, Lower Chanceford, Lower Windsor, Manheim, North Codorus, North Hopewell, Paradise, Peach Bottom, Penn, Shrewsbury, Springfield, West Manheim, Windsor and York (PART, Wards 02 and 05 [PART, Division 03 (only blocks 3020, 4030, 4033, 4037, 4048, 4049, 4050, 4051, 4052, 4053, 4054 and 4055 of tract 022910)]); 
• The boroughs of Cross Roads, Dallastown, Delta, East Prospect, Fawn Grove, Felton, Glen Rock, Hallam, Hanover, Jacobus, Jefferson, Loganville, New Freedom, New Salem, Railroad, Red Lion, Seven Valleys, Shrewsbury, Spring Grove, Stewartstown, Windsor, Winterstown, Wrightsville and Yorkana.

The district also includes all of Lancaster County.

Two Republicans are running for the 11th Congressional District. Democrat Jess King is unopposed in the primary.

This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The York Daily Record.