Get ready for a reading quiz of fun!

Bell Ringer: AP Study Prep! How is Congress apportioned?

Answer! Every ten years, the census bureau conducts the national census of each state’s population. The House of Representative’s 435 seats are re-divided according to changes in populations of the states. Each state is guaranteed at least one representative in the House of Representatives by the Constitution.

The US Census & Apportionment

Institutions Part One: Legislature Elections and the Incumbency Advantage

Running for Office Thousands attempt to make a run for Congress every year Must be member of Democratic or Republican party Third party candidates: State laws discriminate Not enough money Used to be back-room deals but now all states use direct primary systems Incumbents usually win elections even in hotly contested election years

Incumbent: Official currently holding office

Success of Incumbents By the 1950s membership in Congress became a career Relatively few seats are seriously contested in the House -- most are “safe seats” There are charges of a “Permanent Congress” Counter to this charge: retirements open up seats to new members & reelection rates don’t take this into account (scandals too!)

Main Ways to Reach Success Success of Incumbents Main Ways to Reach Success Advertising: media appearances, newsletters, franking privileges Credit-Claiming: voters remember good things done in district Casework: helping constituents as individuals, newsletters, town meetings

Main Ways to Reach Success Success of Incumbents Main Ways to Reach Success Pork Barreling: public projects a congressperson can claim credit for that benefits district Position-taking: Defend stances they take on policies – esp. high profile issues Money: Most money spent comes from individuals (70%) rest comes from PACs who give money to incumbent

Congressional reapportionment & Redistricting Reapportionment: the redistribution of the 435 seats in the House on basis of changes in state populations # of Rep’s per state determined by population Census conducted every 10 years Census will show population changes in states Changes must be reflected in state representation in House State gains population = gain seats State loses population or does not gain as much as other states = lose seats

Congressional reapportionment & Redistricting Congress decided that if a state has a change number of seats -- its district boundaries must change This is known as redistricting, and is usually carried out by the party in power of the state legislature A form of redistricting is gerrymandering: redrawing boundaries to favor the party in power of the state legislature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcUDBgYodIE

Special incumbency advantage for House members Effects of Gerrymandering Strangely-shaped districts The party in power STAYS in power “safe” seats are created for incumbents, leading to further difficulties for challengers “majority-minority” districts created by racial gerrymandering

Special incumbency advantage for House members Initially states could do whatever pleased, but then SCOTUS got involved! Baker v Carr (1962): Ct. ruled malapportionment violated equal protection clause of 14th Amendment TN legislature had not reapportioned self in 60 years Enshrined cont. concept of “one man, one vote” Wesberry v Sanders (1964): Ct. ruled malapportionment illegal Districts must be equal in size to insure equal representation Districts can’t vary by more than 1.5%

Special incumbency advantage for House members Voting Rights Act (1965): Protect Af. American voters in South States cannot deny someone right to vote basis of race States have to check w/ Justice Dept. before institute new voting procedures (including redistricting) Effects: In next 25 years, number of Southern Af. Amer. Elected jumped from 2 to 160 Source: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Special incumbency advantage for House members “Majority-Minority” Districts Districts that are made up of mostly minority groups After 1990 Census the federal government issued order to create districts that would maximize voting powers of minority groups Stated Reason: to ensure equality in representation for minority candidates, thus ensuring minorities more equal treatment from government Unstated Reason: To isolate and split Democratic voter base in certain southern states to ensure Rep. hold South

Special incumbency advantage for House members “Majority-Minority” Districts North Carolina: I-85 District – some districts as narrow as the highway SCOTUS back at it: Shaw v Reno (1993) – Ct ruled racial gerrymandering was subject to strict scrutiny by Ct. Miller v Johnson (1995) – 11th district in GA unconstitutional and demands another vote with redrawing District, Voting Rights Act does not warrant minority- majority districts

SCOTUS and Partisan Gerrymandering Read this: “Supreme court will examine partisan gerrymandering in 2017. That could change the voting map” Answer these questions: What are the benefits/drawbacks of partisan gerrymandering? What impact do you believe partisan gerrymandering has on minority groups? What impact would occur if SCOTUS decided partisan gerrymandering was unconstitutional?