1. Get ready for a reading quiz of fun!

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

3. 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.

4. The US Census & Apportionment

5. Institutions Part One: Legislature
Elections and the Incumbency Advantage

6. 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

7. Incumbent: Official currently holding office

8. 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!)

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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%

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. SCOTUS and Partisan Gerrymandering
Read this: “Supreme court will examine partisan gerrymandering in 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?