Agenda for Week of Sep 17 WEDNESDAY Readings for today … A Citizen’s Guide to Redistricting, 2010 Edition | Brennan Center for Justice, Persily, Nathaniel “The Law of the Census: How to Count, What to Count, Whom to Count, and Where to Count Them." Streb, Ch. 7, Other Forms to fill out Team announcements? Brown/Warren debate tomorrow night

Votes and Money Unequal distribution of votes correlate directly with unequal distribution of money Florida Underrepresented counties $35 per person for state schools, highways, health care Overrepresented counties$105 per person for state schools, highways, health care Counties whose representation doubled, from 1960 to 1970 saw share of state revenues grow by 34% from Redistribution took place “Political power is directly proportionate to a constituency’s voting strength” (p. 212)

Redistricting 101 Why do we redistrict? How does the process work? What are the goals of redistricting? What should be the goals of redistricting?

How does the process work? WHO: 44 states — state legislature must pass bill that governor can either sign into law or veto Legislature can override the veto NC, governor does not have veto power ME, CT require legislature adopt plan with 2/3 vote 6 states (AZ, HI, ID, MT, NJ, WA) created redistricting commissions with 5-13 people to draw the lines

Goals Equal numbers of people in each district Compactness and contiguity Protect minority representation Create partisan advantage Protect incumbents Keep communities of interest and subdivisions intact Promote electoral competition

Goal 1: Equal numbers One person, one vote

Goal 2: Compactness District lines should touch Not be spread throughout the state BUT … no agreed upon definition of what compactness entails Like obscenity, courts say, I know it when I see it …

Goal 3: Minority Representation How to gerrymander a district … Crack — purposely split up a district to prevent a group from having political power Voting Rights Act, 1965 Eliminate dilution of African political power

Other Goals Goal 4: Create Partisan Advantage Goal 5: Keep communities of interest intact Goal 6: Promote electoral competition