Upper Burrell voting redistricting soon to be decided in Westmoreland County Court

A Westmoreland County judge is expected to rule on a new voting redistricting plan in Upper Burrell on June 25, with a changeup in Route 780 dividing the voting districts.

Earlier this year, about 20 Upper Burrell residents filed a lawsuit asserting that one of the township’s two voting districts, Precinct No. 1, had about 1,180 registered voters, which caused long lines on Election Day. The other district, Precinct No. 2, has a little more than 340 registered voters.

Recommendations for the new voting districts were drawn up by Upper Burrell’s judges of election, township Supervisor Michael P. Conley and Township Secretary Melissa Cortileso. Their plan was then modified by the Westmoreland County Election Bureau, according to Steve Yakopec Jr., Upper Burrell’s solicitor.

Route 780 is the major dividing line between the two voting districts. In order to even them out, the new proposed district lines were moved in the area of Route 780 and Pleasant Valley Road, according to Yakopec and elections bureau Director Beth Lechman.

The proposed redistricting will result in the first precinct having 752 voters and the second having 723. That’s according a redistricting plan filed May 8 by the Westmoreland County Board of Elections.

If approved, new voting district maps would need to be published and new voter registration cards would be issued to the voters whose precinct would change.

Voting location won’t change

For voters, the proposed change won’t alter where they vote because both precincts are housed in the township’s municipal building.

The hearing is set to go before Judge Harry F. Smail Jr. at 2:30 p.m. June 25 in Westmoreland County Court in Greensburg.

If accepted by the judge, the new districts will go into effect for November’s general election, Lechman said.