Deadline Nov. 30 to Oppose Change in Your Political Map

Forks Township, under a proposed statewide redistricting plan, would join communities in the Nazareth area and become part of the district based in Monroe County.

Palmer Township, meanwhile, would not join the 45th but also would move to a new district – that one in the Lehigh Valley.

Forks’ House district would stay the same, while a second House district would share Palmer.

Forks and Palmer currently are part of the sprawling 24th state Senate district, represented by Pennsburg-based Republican Bob Mensch. While Forks would move to the 45th, Palmer would join the 18th, represented by Democrat Lisa Boscola of Bethlehem.

Wednesday is the deadline for residents who want to share their opinion on the proposed district changes. 

Submit comments via the 2011 Legislative Reapportionment Commission’swebsite at www.redistricting.state.pa.us.

The website also allows users to access detailed maps of the redistricting proposal and watch videos of thevarious meetings and hearings the commission has held.

State officials plan to have the new map in place for the 2012 election.

Both the Mensch and Boscola districts would be highly impacted by the proposed redistricting. Mensch would lose all Lehigh Valley communities except Williams Township, while Boscola would lose a chunk of Northampton County to the new 45th.

In the House, Forks would stay in the 137th district, represented by Republican Joe Emrick. Palmer, also now part of the 137th, would be represented by the 137th and the 136th seat of Democrat Bob Freeman.

In Palmer, the 137th would include the Middle-1, Upper Eastern and Upper Western districts. The 136th would represent the Eastern, Middle-2 and Western districts.

in Nazareth Borough Hall.

Mensch has a Northampton County office at 1701 Washington Boulevard, Easton, which can be reached by calling (610) 250-5624. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday.