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Reapportionment & Redistricting

Reapportionment & Redistricting. Constitution. Senators 6 years Selected by state legislatures 17 th Amendment, 1913: Direct election Members of House of Representatives 2 years Directly elected by people. Reapportionment.

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Reapportionment & Redistricting

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  1. Reapportionment& Redistricting

  2. Constitution • Senators • 6 years • Selected by state legislatures • 17th Amendment, 1913: Direct election • Members of House of Representatives • 2 years • Directly elected by people

  3. Reapportionment • When the federal government reallocates seats among the states after the decennial census

  4. Gains CA (+1) AZ (+2) CO (+1) FL (+2) GA (+2) NV (+1) TX (+2) Losses CT (-1) NY (-2) IL (-1) IN (-1) MI (-1) OH (-1) OK (-1) PA (-2) WI (-1) Gains and losses due to 2000 reapportionment

  5. Redistricting • When states redraw congressional district boundaries after decennial census • Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) • Each district must have equal population

  6. What criteria should states use in deciding where to draw district lines?

  7. Simulation • Each district must have three people. • Men and women care about different political outcomes. Men will vote for men. Women will vote for women. How many women will be elected in the current plan? • Try to maximize the number of women elected. • In addition, flip flop wearers will only vote for flip flop wearers, and vice versa. How many flip flop wearers will be elected in the current plan. • Flip-flop wearers have been the subject of discrimination. Try to get them as much representation as possible.

  8. Conflicting Values • Contiguity of boundaries (requirement) • Equal population (requirement) • Compactness • Keeping together communities of interest • Protecting interests of racial minorities • Partisan gerrymandering • Incumbent protection • Maximizing competition

  9. Free-Write Write a short essay discussing what constitutes good representation, in your mind. What characteristics of a representative would make you feel like he or she should do a good job representing you and your interests? What behavior should a good representative engage in? When, if ever, should a representative put his constituents’ interests aside and think of the greater good? You will turn this essay in for participation credit.

  10. Values associated with representation • Looking like me, having my background • “Symbolic representation” • Rep. uses own judgment to act on my behalf • “Representative-as-delegate” • Doing exactly what I would do • “Representative as agent” • Communication with me

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