AP Government & Politics Redistricting AP Government & Politics

Gerrymandering Those who redraw districts use computer software to come up with the most favorable boundaries Can create open seats Can pit incumbents of the same party against each other (only one can survive) Can give advantages to one party by clustering voters with similar ideologies in the same district Gerrymandering: the apportionment of voters in districts in such a way as to give unfair advantage to one political party

Process: Very political process Districts are shaped to create an advantage for majority party in state legislature (controls redistricting but is subject to governors veto) What is the role of parties in redistricting?

“Terminate Gerrymandering” Arnold Schwarzenegger has become a very outspoken critic of redistricting. Here’s what he has to say: https://www.attn.com/stories/19092/arnold-schwarzenegger- explains-gerrymandering-congress#

Supreme Court Cases Look up the following cases What was the underlying cause for each suit? What was the outcome of the case? Why is the case important? Easley v. Cromartie Shaw v. Reno Wright v. Rockefeller

What is “gerrymandering”? https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/where-did-term- gerrymander-come-180964118/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/03/01/this- is-the-best-explanation-of-gerrymandering-you-will-ever- see/?utm_term=.57210f5a3c05 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/01/17/upshot/pennsylva nia-gerrymandering.html?_r=0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-4dIImaodQ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/09/the-twisted- history-of-gerrymandering-in-american-politics/262369/

Small Group Discussion Is redistricting or “gerrymandering” a help or a hindrance to democracy? Why do politicians participate in it? What, if anything, can be done to make the process more fair?