1.1. Identify and analyze issues Identify and analyze issues related to the election process related to the election process in the United Statesin the United States

2.2. Trace key Supreme Court Trace key Supreme Court decisions related to a provision decisions related to a provision of the Constitution (e.g., cases of the Constitution (e.g., cases related to reapportionment of related to reapportionment of legislative districtslegislative districts

The deliberate rearrangement of the The deliberate rearrangement of the boundaries of congressional districts boundaries of congressional districts to influence the outcome of electionsto influence the outcome of elections

The number of legislators elected to the The number of legislators elected to the House of Representatives from each House of Representatives from each state is based on that state’s state is based on that state’s population.population.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective numbers....The this Union, according to their respective numbers....The actual actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United Statesthe first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, , and and within every subsequent Term of ten Yearswithin every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such , in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.Manner as they shall by Law direct.

Article I, Section 2 Clause 3 Article I, Section 2 Clause 3 U.S. ConstitutionU.S. Constitution

The process of dividing the 435 seats in The process of dividing the 435 seats in the House of Representatives among the House of Representatives among

the 50 statesthe 50 states

State

Apportionment Population

Number of Apportioned

Representatives Based on

Census 2000

Change From 1990 Census

Apportionment

Ohio 11,374,540 18 -1

Pennsylvania 12,300,670 19 -2

Illinois 12,439,042 19 -1

Michigan 9,955,829 15 -1

California 33,930,798 53 +1

Arizona 5,140,683 8 +2

New York 19,004,973 29 -2

Georgia 8,206,975 13 +2

Texas 20,903,994 32 +2

Process of revising district boundaries Process of revising district boundaries in order to balance population in order to balance population

represented by individual members of a represented by individual members of a

district type.district type.

Original Original gerrymander was gerrymander was created in created in 18121812

by Mass. by Mass. governor governor Elbridge Elbridge

GerryGerry, who , who crafted a district crafted a district

for political for political purposes that purposes that looked like a looked like a salamandersalamander

1. 1. PPacking acking - - place as many voters of 1 type place as many voters of 1 type into a single district to reduce their influence into a single district to reduce their influence in other districts.in other districts.

2. 2. CCrackingracking - - involves spreading out voters involves spreading out voters of a particular type among many districts in of a particular type among many districts in order to reduce their representation by order to reduce their representation by denying them a sufficiently large voting denying them a sufficiently large voting block in any particular district.block in any particular district.

Special districting software has made Special districting software has made gerrymandering a far more precise gerrymandering a far more precise science. science.

political party registrationpolitical party registration

previous campaign donationsprevious campaign donations

# of times residents voted in previous elections# of times residents voted in previous elections

AgeAge

IncomeIncome

RaceRace

Education levelEducation level

Redistricting Software

Highway 106 “Toxic Spill” The Ghost Busters

Road Kill Swamp Fever

Fuzzy Earmuffs

Miller v. Johnson 1994

Supreme Court ruled this district unconstitutional since it’s borders were drawn with explicitly racial motives.

1991

District Representative Party Hometown

1 Steve Driehaus D Cincinnati

2 Jean Schmidt R Miami Township

3 Michael R. Turner R Dayton

4 Jim Jordan R Urbana

5 Bob Latta R Tiffin

6 Charles A. Wilson D St. Clairsville

7 Steve Austria R Springfield

8 John A. Boehner R West Chester

9 Marcy Kaptur D Toledo

10 Dennis J. Kucinich D Cleveland

11 Marcia Fudge D Cleveland

12 Pat Tiberi D Galena

13 Betty Sutton D Copley

14 Steven C. LaTourette R Concord Township

15 Mary Jo Kilroy D Columbus

16 John Boccieri D Navarre

17 Tim Ryan D Niles

18 Zachary T. Space D Dover

In 1967, Congress passed a law requiring all In 1967, Congress passed a law requiring all U.S. Reps to be elected from single member. U.S. Reps to be elected from single member. 

Congress in 1982 amended the Congress in 1982 amended the Voting Rights Voting Rights ActAct to protect voting rights of protected to protect voting rights of protected racial minorities in redistricting. Within racial minorities in redistricting. Within those laws, states have great leeway to those laws, states have great leeway to draw districts, which often leads to draw districts, which often leads to gerrymandering.gerrymandering.

1.1. Reduction in electoral competition & Reduction in electoral competition & voter turnoutvoter turnout

2.2. Increased incumbent advantage & Increased incumbent advantage & campaign costscampaign costs

3.3. Less descriptive representation Less descriptive representation

4.4. Incumbent gerrymanderingIncumbent gerrymandering

1. Redistricting by neutral or cross-party agency

2. Shortest splitline algorithm3. Proportional representation

2003 Texas Redistricting Video

3 DistrictsSun – 1

Moon - 2

3 DistrictsSun – 2

Moon - 1

4 DistrictsGreen – 1?

Magenta – 3?

14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause; “one man, one vote”; ordered state legislative districts to be as near equal as possible in population; reapportionment; example of Warren Court’s judicial activism

Built on Baker case; Required virtually every state legislature to be reapportioned; shifted power from rural to urban areas

Ordered House of Representative legislative districts to be as near in population as possible; extended Baker v. Carr (1962) to the national government

No racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts.

1. Is Redistricting fair? Why or Why not?

2. How do your political beliefs alter your answer?

3. Do you believe the redistricting process should be less partisan?

4. In what ways, if any, would you reform the current process?