Gerrymandering
Today’s Objective
 After today’s lesson, students will be able to…
 Define reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering
 Describe the differences between the three terms
 Essential Skill
 Demonstrate and understanding of concepts
Reapportionment
 The process of redistributing the
435 House of Representatives
seats based on population
 Determined using the
preceding census to allot states
seats
 Important because states can
gain or lose power in the United
States House of Representatives
Redistricting
 The redrawing of
congressional or
other district lines
after the census
 Done to
accommodate
population shifts
make districts as
near to equal in
total population
Gerrymandering
 To manipulate the boundaries of an
electoral constituency (population) so as
to favor one party or class
 Wesberry v. Sanders
 Districts have to have equal population
sizes (“one person, one vote”)
 Decreased influence of rural population
 Courts do not strike down
gerrymandering unless they violate
Voting Rights Act
 Population Equality
 Contiguity
 Not compactness
Effects of Gerrymandering
 Makes districts less competitive
 Gives incumbents the advantage
 Increases campaign costs
 Decrease in descriptive representation
 Dilutes minorities votes
Majority – Minority Districts
 Districts drawn to give African Americans, or other
minority groups, a chance to elect representatives
 Controversy?
 Should districts be based on race?
 Is it discrimination?
 Is there value in having a diverse Congress?
Local Example
 When Gerlach first ran
for Congress in 2002 the
bizarrely drawn district
was often said to have
been crafted for
Gerlach, then a state
senator seeking to
move up.
 He's won the seat five
times since, the last time
with a fairly convincing
win of 57 to 43 percent
over Trivedi.
Local Example
 In 2014, Gerlach decided
not to run for
reelection…leaving the door
open for Manan Trivedi
 BUT!
 The lines were redrawn in a
way that carved out Trivedi’s
house and possible
supporters
 Ryan Costello won the
district easily (57% to 43%)
Conclusion
 What is reapportionment?
 What is redistricting?
 What is gerrymandering?
 What are you most surprised about in regards to
gerrymandering?