Institutions of American Government Module 4.1: Congress Section 3: The Mechanics of Representation

Lesson Objectives Describe the basic structure of the US Congress Distinguish apportionment from redistricting Examine the importance of the US Census relative to the US Congress and federal programs Modify a theoretical state map to maximize partisan representation in Congress

The Basic Structure of Congress Bicameral Two houses Most states also have bicameral legislatures Co-equal houses House of Representatives 435 members Two year terms Senate 100 members Staggered Six year terms

Question #1 Which state has a unicameral legislature? Wyoming Nebraska Rhode Island Alaska

Apportionment Affects composition of House of Representatives Regularly occurs every 10 years The Decennial Census Mandated by the Constitution Accounts for changes in population Births Deaths Migration Highly politicized Funding for federal programs also linked to Census Data Accuracy often in question Undercounts Overcounts ‘head count’ v. statistical sampling

Redistricting Power reserved to the States State legislatures and the Census After Congress apportions # of reps. State legislatures redraw district lines US House of Representatives State House of Representatives State Senate (if applicable) District Maps may be contested in a Federal Court

The Apportionment & Redistricting Process Bureau takes Census Census Report to Congress with recommendations Total Population divided by 435 to obtain minimum district size Number of districts determined for each State (x/435) Report transmitted to State legislatures Apportionment decided by Congress State legislatures receive Report State legislatures debate and decide district boundaries Barring legal challenges, New district lines apply in the next general election for the affected house US HR State HR State Senate

Gerrymandering The Practice of State Legislatures of redrawing district lines to gain partisan or factional advantage First evident after the 1810 Census Elbridge Gerry and the Salamander Technically illegal Difficult to prove

Question #2 Gerrymandering is the practice where congressmen redraw district lines to maximize partisan factional advantage. True False

Question #3 Which of the following explains the correct answer to the previous question? Congress is responsible for apportionment, not redistricting Congress is responsible for redistricting, not apportionment Gerrymandering deals with state legislatures, not Congress Gerrymandering deals with Congress, not state legislatures

Activity Each (square) figure represents one whole unit of population. Your task: draw lines across this state to maximize your party’s support in the USHR You may cut units of population into parts , but Each continuous area must have the same total whole number of figures Total number of districts: 4.

Congressional Districts in Texas

Other Districts

The Original Gerrymander: The Congress of 1812

Question #4 Which of the following concepts was clearest? The basic structure of the US Congress Apportionment Redistricting The importance of the US Census