4.6 Internal Boundaries - PDF

Book: Module 29 Unit 4 p.364 4.6 Internal Boundaries ✔ Explain the nature and function of international and internal boundaries. 12.Voting districts, redistricting, and gerrymandering affect election results at various scales. TEDTALK: How drawing jagged lines can impact an elect...

Book: Module 29 Unit 4 p.364 4.6 Internal Boundaries ✔ Explain the nature and function of international and internal boundaries. 12.Voting districts, redistricting, and gerrymandering affect election results at various scales. TEDTALK: How drawing jagged lines can impact an election - Christina Greer 3:42 (defines it) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcUDBgYodIE CRASHCOURSE: Gerrymandering 7:55 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnhFm5QVVTo https://thefulcrum.us/worst-gerrymandering-districts-example Gerrymandering Game http://gametheorytest.com/gerry/ Gerrymandering: You’re Saying it Wrong! 3:12 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=10157821913938128 4.6 Internal Boundaries Module 29 Voting Districts Article GERRYMANDER N.C. CRASH COURSE GOV Scale matters here: – Local District – State – Country Political power in U.S. tied much closer to geography than popular will. The Electoral college ensures presidents elected based on state  Voting Districts There are international boundaries that divide up the world into states (countries) – There are also boundaries within countries – Form voting districts Determined by redistricting and gerrymandering which then affect politics and elections at various scales Voting districts local geographic area in which you vote for representatives to  Suffrage Many people want the right to suffrage – the power to vote “no taxation without representation” – U.S. women's suffrage did not occur until 1920 19th amendment  Reapportions U.S. - Constitution requires – census, every 10 years. We count who is here Can potentially change the number of congressional seats. U.S. reapportions the 435 seats in the House of Representatives (permanent size since  Importance of: – electoral college Consists of 538 electors majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Electoral votes – total number of representative seats + two senators’ seats from each state + 3 Electoral College Redistricting Redistricting is the process of deciding how a state will be divided into districts based on the number of seats it has. – divide state into groups of voters – In most states, legislators draw the maps for their seats – CA = commission - with about 750,000  Gerry- mander Art and science Gerrymandering – the redrawing of political boundaries for political advantage by one of the  (Previous slide) Gerrymanderin derived from g Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry (1744- 1814). Oddly shaped district looked like a salamander – prompting newspaper editor to coin the term gerrymander. 2016  Packing (Bundles votes into one district) and Cracking (Breaking up large group into small districts to dilute vote) US Supreme hears – state-course case as long as it includes federal laws –Gerrymandering Constitution  1992 of North Carolina – Republican drew 12th district along I-85 – connecting a number of African- Americans In 1993 U.S. Supreme Court found it unconstitutional Gerrymandering  Gerry- mandering The persistence of gerrymandering in US results: – 2012, New York Democrats (blue) 66% of the vote yet control 78% of the House seats – 2012, Pennsylvania Republicans (red)  Consequences of Gerrymandering Partisan Power ▪ primary elections draw more partisan voters No need for compromise ▪ Creating lack of social cohesion More extreme candidate likely to win ▪ Only threat coming from same party Political-minority voters do not bother to vote ▪ Lower voter participation Create or preserve minority- majority district ▪ district favoring an ethnic group ALL leading to beginning stages of devolution of state  Practice https://thefulcrum.us/worst-gerrymandering-districts-example 1. In the redistricting that occurred in 2012, voters in Maryland approved a redrawn Third Congressional District, as shown on the map right. A geospatial analysis firm named it the least compact A. Identify the political phenomenon district in the nation. represented on the map. B. Explain the relationship between redistricting and the census. C. Identify and discuss TWO political consequences that could result from redistricting