1. Redistricting Reapportionment GerryMandering

2. Things to Know:
Paul Ryan is running for Speaker of the House today! Only one opponent-Daniel Webster. Needs 218 votes today
Paper update: Wednesday Nov. 11th Peer Editing Day for your research paper. Must have a rough draft done including everything save for your concession and conclusion
You can take your homework for next week today!
For class today you will need something to write with, your notes, headphones if you have them, an a partner

3. With your Partner
Fill out the Congressional Basics worksheet using your notes.
This is an excellent test of your notes, knowledge, and review for the exam

4. House Senate Members 435 100 Term 2 6 Salary 174,000 Age 25 30
Citizenship
7 years
9 years
Residency
Live in the state you represent
Percent/Fraction elected every two years
100%
1/3

5. What is the “incumbent advantage” and why does it exist?
What are some reasons why Senators seems to have more prestige than members of the House?
Senate is smaller (1 out of 100)
Serve longer
Harder to be elected
What is the “incumbent advantage” and why does it exist?
90% in House get reelected
Name recognition
Fundraising
Party Support
Gerrymandering

6. Benefits and Privileges
Tax deduction (2 residencies)
Travel allowance
Life and Health insurance (small premium)
Medical Care
Retirement Plan—pension (150k on up—age 50 with 3 years of service)
Offices, parking, staff
Mail for free (franking)
Printing free
Protected from lawsuits and libel speech

7. Informal Qualifications
Gender
Ethnicity
Experience
Incumbent
Party I.D.
Name familiarity
Fundraising

8. Reapportionment
The process of redistributing the 435 House of Representatives seats based on population
Determined using the preceding census to allot states seats (taken every 10 years)
Important because states can gain or lose power in the United States House of Representatives

9. Redistricting
The redrawing of congressional or other district lines after the census
Done to accommodate population shifts make districts as near to equal in total population

10. Gerrymandering
To manipulate the boundaries of an electoral constituency (population) so as to favor one party or class
Wesberry v. Sanders
Districts have to have equal population sizes (“one person, one vote”)
Decreased influence of rural population
Courts do not strike down gerrymandering unless they violate Voting Rights Act
Population Equality
Contiguity
Not compactness

11. Effects of Gerrymandering
Makes districts less competitive
Gives incumbents the advantage
Increases campaign costs
Decrease in descriptive representation
Dilutes minorities votes

12. Majority – Minority Districts
Districts drawn to give African Americans, or other minority groups, a chance to elect representatives
Controversy?
Should districts be based on race?
Is it discrimination?
Is there value in having a diverse Congress?

13. With your partner
Go to my teacher page and click the link for RRG Activities
With your partner, fill out the back of your note sheet using the directions
This will be collected for points as a class grade!

15. Local Example
When Gerlach first ran for Congress in 2002 the bizarrely drawn district was often said to have been crafted for Gerlach, then a state senator seeking to move up.
He's won the seat five times since, the last time with a fairly convincing win of 57 to 43 percent over Trivedi.

16. Local Example
In 2014, Gerlach decided not to run for reelection…leaving the door open for Manan Trivedi
BUT!
The lines were redrawn in a way that carved out Trivedi’s house and possible supporters
Ryan Costello won the district easily (57% to 43%)

19. Conclusion What is reapportionment? What is redistricting?
What is gerrymandering?
What are you most surprised about in regards to gerrymandering?