U.S. congressmen and women are elected to public office by residents of the districts that they represent. But those districts' shapes and residents can change, as they did on Jan. 3, this year, in accordance with shifting demographics.
The U.S. House's District 18 of Pennsylvania, for example, which is represented by Republican Tim Murphy, once included all or parts of several municipalities that it no longer encompasses. Baldwin Borough, Baldwin Township, Brentwood Borough, Crafton Borough, Dormont Borough, Green Tree Borough and Wilkins Township are examples of those.
But each of those municipalities are now part of Democrat Mike Doyle's 14th District, meaning that some residents are being represented by a member of an entirely different party than they were used to.
Some changes are even more drastic, as was the case with District 12, currently represented by Republican Keith Rothfus. The 12th was once represented by Democrat Mark Critz as it ran south to north through western Pennsylvania, touching areas like Canonsburg and Houston boroughs.
But the district now runs west to east above and to the side of Pittsburgh, picking up places like Ross Township and Sewickley Hills and Plum boroughs.
Do you know which redrawn U.S. House district is yours and who your representative is?
Click on these MAPS to see:
PA District 3 (Mike Kelly)
PA District 9 (Bill Shuster)
PA District 12 (Rothfus)
PA District 14 (Doyle)
PA District 18 (Murphy)
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