Baker v Carr
1961 District Reapportionment
you want politics? - messy, nasty, important politics?
How are constitutional districts determined?
Representativ
e Eric Cantor7th District
Representative
Bobby Scott3rd district
Baker v Carr 1961
• Tennessee: Republican Baker
complained Tennessee legislature had
not drawn “updated” districts since 1901
• SC said this was not a political decision
so the courts could make a judgement.
• SC said, “one person one vote”
• almost every state had to redistrict b/c of
this ruling and urban areas gained and
rural lost.....how did that affect politics?
So What?
States in the 1960s - trying to avoid desegregation often “drew new districts” which did NOT reflect true
populations. This deceptive district drawing is called
gerrymandering
Reynolds v
Sims 1964
SC said:
legislative
districts must
be roughly
equal in
Minority Majority
Districts
• Now states often create minority
majority districts - purposefully drawn to
create districts that represent minorities
who may not otherwise be fairly
represented
How are constitutional districts determined?
Representative
Bobby Scott3rd district
The Politics of It All
• Redrawing districts is very important.
What happens if the lines shift?
The politics of it all...
Virginia
Redistricting
for
Incumbent Protection
You need to know:
1. Who draws the congressional
district maps?
state legislatures
2.How often do they redraw them?
every 10 years - based on the
census
3. Why is it so important?
incumbents (the current HoR
member) is everything. 98% reelection rate