REDISTRICTING REAPPORTIONMENT GERRYMANDERING THINGS TO KNOW Paul Ryan

REDISTRICTING REAPPORTIONMENT GERRYMANDERING

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. 11 th 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

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

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

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

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

INFORMAL QUALIFICATIONS • Gender • Ethnicity • Experience • Incumbent • Party I. D. • Name familiarity • Fundraising

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

REDISTRICTING • The redrawing of congressional or other district lines after the census • Done to accommodate population shifts make districts as

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

EFFECTS OF GERRYMANDERING • Makes districts less competitive • Gives incumbents the advantage • Increases campaign costs • Decrease in descriptive representation • Dilutes minorities votes

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?

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!

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.

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%)

CONCLUSION • What is reapportionment? • What is redistricting? • What is gerrymandering? • What are you most surprised about in regards to gerrymandering?