Pa. GOP tries to block 2001 voting map

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Pennsylvania Republicans say they're trying to block the state's plan to use 2001 political boundaries for the upcoming election.

The state Supreme Court ruled last month to toss out a plan to reapportion the state's House and Senate seats, saying the map was too badly gerrymandered. The court suggested the state revert to using the maps from 2001 for the April 24 election, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Republican House and Senate leaders are seeking a federal restraining order to prevent the state from doing so. They would prefer to allow the Legislative Reapportionment Commission time to come up with a new map.

U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick said Monday he would rule on the issue "with dispatch."

Democratic leaders want the election to go on as scheduled. Candidates for the Legislature have from Jan. 24 to Feb. 16 to collect hundreds of voter signatures to get onto primary election ballots. Without knowing the boundaries of each district, it's impossible to be sure they're collecting valid signatures, the newspaper said.

Latino voter advocates support the Republican effort to block the 2001 map because Latino voters gained three Latino-majority districts in the reapportionment tossed out by the state Supreme Court.