1. Governing States and Electoral Geography
Objective: Identify how the governments of states are organized. Explain the concept and effects of gerrymandering.

2. More Important Vocab Words
Use your textbook/reading guide/notecards/others at your table to define the following:
Table 1 – Unitary State
Table 2 – Federal State
Table 3 – Gerrymandering
Table 4 – Wasted vote gerrymandering
Table 5 – Excess vote gerrymandering
Table 6 – Stacked vote gerrymandering

3. Unitary State
Places most power in the hands of the central government officials
Requires effective communication with all regions of the country
Especially common in Europe

4. Federal State
Strong power allocated to units of local governments within the state
Local governments possess authority to adopt their own laws
Boundaries can be drawn to correspond with regions inhabited by different ethnicities
Useful in multinational states
Ex. Russia, Canada, US, Brazil, India, Belgium

5. Gerrymandering
The boundaries separating legislative districts within the US are redrawn periodically to ensure that each district has approximately the same population (reapportionment, happens after census is taken)
“Redistricting for advantage”, redistricting to benefit the party in power

6. Wasted Vote Gerrymandering
Turn to page 284 in your textbook
Spreads opposition supporters across many districts but in the minority
Even though opposition is present in each district, they are always outnumbered and will never win the district

7. Excess Vote Gerrymandering
Concentrates opposition supporters into a few districts
Oppositions supporters will win the districts that they are concentrated in but, overall, it will not be enough to win the state

8. Stacked Vote Gerrymandering
Links distant areas of like-minded votes through oddly shaped boundaries
Has been especially attractive for creating districts inclined to elect ethnic minorities

9. Gerrymandering Activity
On the paper you receive, follow the directions to gerrymander your state for the given type of gerrymandering listed.
On the back of the paper, reflect on the process to create districts in the way you were asked. Explain which groups have the advantage/disadvantage.
What is your personal reaction to gerrymandering? What should be done to address the issue of gerrymandering?