1. American Government and OrganizationPS
Wednesday, 24 September

2. Review
Legislative Process
Voting on Legislation

3. Representation
Descriptive vs. Substantive

4. Women in Congress

5. African American and Hispanics in Congress

6. Gerrymandering
Gerrymander takes its name from Gov. Elbridge Gerry of Mass who in 1811 created a peculiar salamander shaped district north of Boston to benefit the Democratic party.

7. Gerrymandering
Equal populations
Partisan
Incumbency
Racial

8. Racial Gerrymandering
Voting Rights Act of 1965 restrained states from diluting (cracking) minority votes.
Prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Mississippi had a majority district (66%) continued to elect white congressman because blacks were denied the right to vote.
1982 Amendment to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 fostered the creation of majority-minority districts.

9. Majority Minority Districts
Thornburg v Gingles (1986) The decision by the Supreme Court enunciated tests to determine whether a minority’s representation had been compromised
Is the group large enough and located in a compact enough area to elect a representative if grouped into a single district?
Is the group politically cohesive?
Is there evidence of racially polarized voting by the majority against candidates of that group?

10. Majority Minority Districts
In creation of 15 new African American districts (total of 32)
Creation of 9 new Latino districts (total of 20).
All but one of these districts elected a minority
North Carolina’s 12th linked black neighborhoods along 160 miles of I85 from Durham to Charlotte.

11. Racial Gerrmandering

12. Supreme Court Decision
Shaw v. Reno (1993)
Under a 5-4 ruling, two North Carolina districts were declared--the 1st and the 12th in violation of the equal protection under the law by diluting white votes the districts were criticized for being too irregular--looked like segregation by race.

13. Texas Districts The Debate: Link to Save Texas Reps
Democrats have a majority in the current Texas congressional delegation. The GOP is pushing plans that would give them as many as 21 seats.
Link to Save Texas Reps
Current and proposed districts
Consequences