2. Why Does Congressional
Redistricting Occur?
The United States Constitution requires
congressional seats to be reapportioned
among the states after each decennial
census. Because the Supreme Court in the
1960s interpreted the Constitution to
require that each US House district have
equal numbers of people, any state with
more than one district must adjust its
district lines.
Districts in a state are determine by
population.
3. Census
An official count or survey of a population,
typically recording various details of
individuals.
Occurs every 10 years.
Determines the number of seats each state
should posses.
Redraw lines to bring the districts into line
with the federal census.
It counts people in the state and
determines the amount of district that state
deserves.
6. Electoral College Maps
As time passes states electoral votes change
due to population
In the images shown before, Ohio started out
with 25 seats and in 2012 Ohio currently has 16
seats.
The population in Ohio has not grown has
quickly as other states.
The maps also indicate Florida seats have
increase from 17 to 29 due to population
increase.
7. Effects of Redistricting in Ohio
Redraw the lines to ensure each district is
a certain party.
Example: District 1 was made bigger to
make it a guarantee republican district for
Steve Chabot.
2010 Ohio Congressional 2012 Ohio Congressional
8. Gerrymandering
the drawing of electoral district lines to
the advantage of a party or group.
Can be found in most places where lines
are drawn for the election of public
officeholders- in cities, counties, school
districts, and elsewhere
10. Wesberry V.S Sanders
Was a U.S Supreme court case on February 17,
1964 concerning U.S Congressional Districts in the
State of Georgia
James Wesberry filed a suit against the Governor
of Georgia( Carl Sanders) stating that he violated
the Fourteenth Amendment.
Wesberry wanted every district to have the same
number of representatives and have equal say no
matter how small your district was.
This case allows all the congressional districts of a
state to be sized equally by having the same size
population. The court decision was to follow
Wesberry opinion.
11. Packing
Packing happens when the State
legislators “pack” as many voters from the
opposing party into a single district as
possoble.
Makes districts “safe” for the party in
power.
12. Cracking
Iswhen the party in power splits up
(spreads out) the voters who support the
opposing party. This results in the minority
party winning fewer seats
13. Ohio Issue #2
AKA Ohio Redistricting Amendment.
It would allow citizen commission to draw
legislative and congressional district
maps.
districts would be based Ohio
geographic, racial, ethnic and political
diversity.
14. How does the current redistricting
process contribute to the dominance
of America’s two-party political
system?
A state is given a certain amount of
district based on population. In most
states, districts are drawn to benefit a
certain party, like Ohio’s congressional
district 1 that benefits republican Steve
Chabot.
