Butler County will be split into three different congressional districts if the map issued Monday by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is kept in place.

Under the map in effect since 2012, the entire county was part of the 3rd Congressional District and represented by Mike Kelly, a Republican. The court earlier this year ruled that map to be unconstitutional, saying in an opinion that it was gerrymandered to favor Republicans.

Pennsylvania's 18 seats in the House of Representatives are all up for election this year. The period to circulate nominating petitions to get on the ballot for the May 15 primary will start next Tuesday.

Butler County is one of four counties that is split into three districts under the court's map, which it dubbed “The Remedial Plan.” Nine counties are split into two districts. The previous map split 28 different counties into multiple districts.

Kelly, who lives in Butler and has district offices in Butler, Erie, New Castle and Sharon, is now in the 16th District. The new 16th District includes most of western Butler County and all of Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford and Erie counties. Eastern Erie County was added to the district, while Armstrong County and southern Clarion County were removed.

Kelly, in a statement Monday night, said:

“My dedicated staff and I are focused on providing the best possible service to the constituents of our district every day, no matter where its boundaries are drawn. That will continue to be my priority as I run for re-election this fall, to keep representing a district that I am still blessed to call home. As of now, I am closely reviewing the entire process that led to this major change to verify that it was in accordance with the Constitution that I swore to uphold.”

Two of three Democrats who had announced their intention to challenge Kelly this fall said Monday that they plan to run in the 16th District.

Chris Rieger of Cranberry Township said Monday that he still plans to run in the 16th District, even though the new map may have placed his residence inside the 17th District.

Unlike the state constitution, the U.S. Constitution does not require congressmen to reside in their districts, only in the same state, he said.

Brian Skibo of Hermitage, Mercer County, said in an email that his goal to unseat Kelly and provide new representation for the people of his district has not changed.

“I have lived in Hermitage for around 30 years. It is where my heart is,” he wrote.

A full story appears in Tuesday's Butler Eagle.