O’Hara officials are considering redrawing the township’s wards to make them more equal in population.

The idea to restructure the wards came after township officials reviewed 2020 Census data.

The current ward map shows the 1st Ward has 2,439 people, while the 2nd Ward has just 732.

The 3rd Ward has 1,637 residents, the 4th Ward has 1,216 and the 5th Ward has 2,087.

“After each census, municipalities are required to look at their district maps,” council president Robert Smith said via email. “O’Hara Township‘s effort is basically to try and have approximately the same number of voters in each ward.

“The biggest change in O’Hara will be in the ward that represents the riverfront development areas where the population has increased much more than in the other wards.

”I don’t anticipate the redistricting having much affect on the township elections. The Township of O’Hara has been lucky since it has consistently had excellent representation from all of its wards.”

Township officials on July 12 proposed two reapportionment options with estimated populations.

• The first option brings the 1st Ward down to around 1,850 people while increasing the 2nd Ward to more than 1,700 people.

The 3rd Ward would have a little more than 1,600 people while the 4th Ward would have a little less than 2,000 people. The 5th Ward would have around 2,050 people.

• The second option would bring the 1st Ward to about 1,875 people and the 2nd Ward to around 1,725 residents. The 3rd Ward would have slightly more than 1,800 people while the 4th Ward would have just about 1,800 people. The 5th Ward still would have around 2,050 residents.

Township Manager Julie Jakubec said Wednesday the changes support the “one-person, one-vote doctrine,” which refers to the rule that one person’s voting power ought to be roughly equivalent to another person.

“The whole goal was to balance these things,” Jakubec said.

Council is expected to further discuss the proposed changes and hold public hearings in September and October.

Give your opinion

People can also e-mail comments to about the proposals to info@ohara.pa.us or drop-off or mail them to the township office at 325 Fox Chapel Road Pittsburgh, PA 15238.

An ordinance will be proposed selecting one of the maps once the hearings and public comment is complete. It is unclear when that would take place.

Jakubec said after the ordinance is adopted, the township would then submit documents to the Allegheny County Elections Division and petition the Court of Common Pleas for approval.

It would then go on to the state for review with the goal of having the new maps in place by the 2023 May Primary.

The most recent township ward map changes took place in 2008 when a few roads were moved from 1st Ward to 5th Ward.

The last major ward change was in 1983 when the Mews condo buildings near the township office were moved from 1st Ward to 4th Ward.

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