I've decided to research voter reapportionment and the affects it has on competitive elections. Questions I hope to answer from gathering this data are What percentage of state legislative, county, and municipal districts are gerrymandered to prevent a competitive election? Has cases of gerrymandering increased, deceased or remains relatively the same over the last thirty years? Is there a correlation between the branch of government that determines district lines to the number of gerrymandered districts in each state? For example are elections more likely to be competitive or less likely to be competitive when a independent un-elected body draws the map (Iowa comes to mind) compared to a state legislature drawing it? What about when a municipal government determines the map instead versus a state legislature? What is the difference when a judicial entity determines the lines if any? (most likely to occur in states that were subject to section 4 and 5 of the voting rights act prior to the SCOTUS decision that occurred very recently but possible everywhere as far as I'm aware) How many years post redistricting does gerrymandering have a noticeable affect? Does shifts in population dilute it's affects quickly in some geographic areas particularly urban areas, while others remain relatively the same throughout the 10 year period in-between the redrawing? What percentage of districts shift after 2 years 4 years 6 years 8 years and 10? Does the party in power relate to the number of districts that are gerrymandered, or is the common belief that both parties are guilty, gerrymandering is a product of incumbency not party affiliation hold true when the data the is examined? Is there a different explanation that accounts for gerrymandering unrelated to either one of those things? What are the state and federal laws related to the redistricting process? How does the civil rights act, the requirement that minority populations are afforded an opportunity be represented by black or Latino politicians affect the process? What about Brown V. Board does it impact drawing of school districts? If so, in what way? Does a majority racial population.consistently lead to a person from that racial demographic winning the district, what percentage of districts is this true/false in? How has it changed through each of the three redistricting events since 1990? I'd like to come at this project from the most non-partisan perspective possible. I'd like to set aside my unsubstantiated perspectives of the matter and consider only hard data related to the subject not personal opinions mine or anyone else's. In other words just because I'm a Democrat I don't want my conclusions to automatically favor democrats. The goal is not to indite or condemn a politician or political party rather it is to gain a better understanding of a major factor that determines election outcomes in every state in the union. The amount of data I wish to gather is enormous, I want to look at everything from local school and city council districts all the way up to state and US House districts in all fifty states, starting with every major city in each state. All the info is readily available on state county and municipal websites but in order to cut down on gathering time I'm requesting anyone who already has the data or is willing to go to their personal city, county, and state websites to send it my way. As I receive stuff I will post what I already have. Currently, I have all relevant data for the state of Texas, with the exception of 2010 because it is still unclear what the new maps in Texas will look like. If it is easier than posting please email me at publicpolicythink@gmail.com. -Thanks Also if anyone is aware of a similar research project that has already been completed please point it out to me, I have not found anything quite as ambitious as what I hope to do, most of the research I find focuses on a single state and a single level of Government usually federal.
Well,I am not going to look up the CA redistricting. All I will say is that as long as we are required to draw up districts to have a racial component,you will have problems. Look at southern states. All the Dems are black,because they gerrymandered blacks heavily into those districts(and you can't blame the GOp for that,it's court orders and the NAACP). If they were not that way,I imagine you would see more Dems from states like Alabama,Louisiana,Georgia in the house. In this state,I think the GOP made a mistake when they worked with Howard Berman last decade and drew up districts that were very low in Hispanics. This led to Republicans not having to reach out to that community.
Gerrymandering for the public good... Redistricting might shorten wait for a new liver Aug 20,`13 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Where you live can affect your chances of getting a liver transplant, and your risk of dying while waiting. The nation's transplant network says it's time to make the system fairer - and it may take a cue from how politicians redraw voting maps.
See the attached pictures Congressional District 31 California (Formerly District 63) As you can see there have been repeated efforts to marginalize the Democratic voters stuck between the Republicans in Cucamonga and Redlands. Don't be fooled by the grey area in the first pic since that's mostly empty national forest land. There is no logical reason for this district to be drawn this way except to concentrate electoral power of the republicans and weaken the democrats The new District 31 was only marginally better but a changed election law signed by a disgraced departing Gov Schwarzenegger changed the primary election to an open party top two winner election. Since the Dems had already selected 4 candidates they split the vote and the two repubs Dutton and Miller became the top two winners giving the predominantly Democratic District no democratic voice in the general election. Miller won and has not lifted a finger to help the people in the center of his district (San Bernardino) and has instead slavishly supported a Tea Party agenda supported by the rich in Cucamonga and Redlands. We intend to correct this problem next year but outside money is now pouring into Millers pocket to swamp the will of the people. Fortunately this time the DCCC is endorsing Aguilar. Other dems who want to run are a problem. I hope they will see reason and back Aguilar instead of sniping each other. The real enemy is the Republican party. This is a blood sport. http://www.examiner.com/article/cd-31-the-race-no-one-predicted http://www.pe.com/local-news/politics/jeff-horseman-headlines/20130617-congress-national-focus-on-san-bernardino-county-seat.ece
