Redistricting,
Reapportionment &
Gerrymandering
Congressional Elections
•Congressional elections are different
than presidential elections
•There is no electoral college or
majority needed
•The candidate that receives THE
MOST votes (not necessarily a
majority) is the winner
•This is called the Plurality System
Redistricting
•Redistricting is the redrawing of
congressional districts.
•Purposes: to reflect an
increase/decrease in population
or a shift in population
Virginia’s Congressional
Districts: from 2010 Census
Where are you? Where am I?
How do you know if population
increased or decreased? The Census
•The constitutionally
mandated process of counting
all people living in the United
States
•The census has been
conducted every 10 years
since 1790, as required by the
United States Constitution
Reapportionment
 A new distribution of congressional seats in
the House of Representatives is based on
census results
The US and Constitutions require
reapportionment of national, state, and
local legislative bodies following each
census.
This process often requires Redistricting
which occurs in the legislative branch by the
majority party.
Gerrymandering
•The political party controlling the
state government draws a district’s
boundaries to gain an advantage in
elections. (this power has been
historically abused)
•This often results in district
boundaries that have very irregular
shapes
In 1811, the Governor of
Massachusetts, Elbridge Gerry, helped
to ensure the election of two
Democratic senators by creating a
new political district. The term and
subsequent political cartoon is a
combination of the salamander shape
of the district along with his name.
Gerrymandering issues have appeared
several times in the Supreme Court.
In 1964, the Supreme Court case,
Wesberry v. Sanders outlawed
gerrymandering and established the
“one man, one vote” principle. The
Court also agreed that the Voting
The Original “Gerrymander” Cartoon Rights Act of 1965 said that
purposeful gerrymandering of a
congressional district to dilute
~ Elkanah Tisdale, 1812
minority strength is illegal.
The 4th
Congressional
District of
Illinois
connects two
Hispanic
neighborhoods
while
remaining
connected by
narrowly
tracing
Interstate 294.
Illinois' 4th
Congressional District
Separated by over 200 miles
Play the Game!!!
1. Google ‘The Redistricting Game’
2. Click “Play the Game”
3. Still don’t understand redistricting and
gerrymandering? Start MISSION 1!
4. Think you understand redistricting and
gerrymandering? Start MISSION 2!!
5. Start with the “basic” level, read
directions, good luck!!!