House Reapportionment

House ReapportionmentHouse Reapportionment

Population ShiftsPopulation Shifts

Every 10 years, a CENSUS is taken to Every 10 years, a CENSUS is taken to count the population of the United States.count the population of the United States.

The U.S. House of Representatives uses The U.S. House of Representatives uses this information to reapportion the seats in this information to reapportion the seats in the House.the House.

Remember, representation in the House is Remember, representation in the House is based on population.based on population.

435 is enough!435 is enough!

Every time we added states (& population) Every time we added states (& population) to the nation, we added seats.to the nation, we added seats.

In 1929, Congress passed the In 1929, Congress passed the Reapportionment Act to freeze the number Reapportionment Act to freeze the number at 435.at 435.

So now, they have to redistribute the seats So now, they have to redistribute the seats every 10 years.every 10 years.

For a state to gain seats, another state or states

must lose, because they

number stays at 435.

1970 Census=24 seats for TX1970 Census=24 seats for TX

1980 Census=27 seats for TX1980 Census=27 seats for TX

Keep your eye on District #16 in far West TX!

1990 Census=30 seats for TX1990 Census=30 seats for TX

WOW! What happened to District #16?

2000 Census=32 seats for TX2000 Census=32 seats for TX

Where did District #16

go?

TX Average:

651,619 people per district.

LINK TO THE NEW MAP

http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/plans/planc01440/viewer.htm?Title=PLAN%2001440C%20-U.S.%20Congressional%20%20Districts%2C%20110th%20%20CONGRESS

What is a What is a GerrymanderGerrymander??

"The Gerry-"The Gerry-Mander" first Mander" first appeared in appeared in this cartoon-this cartoon-map in the map in the Boston GazettBoston Gazettee, 26 March , 26 March 1812 1812

Supreme Court CasesSupreme Court Cases

Westbury v. SandersWestbury v. Sanders

Baker v. CarrBaker v. Carr

=1 man, 1 vote principle=1 man, 1 vote principle

Districts needs to mathematically equal.Districts needs to mathematically equal.

What does a gerrymandered district What does a gerrymandered district look like?look like?

North Carolina black majority 12th Congressional District Gerrymander

What does a What does a gerrymandered gerrymandered

district look district look like?like?

How do they do this?How do they do this?

It’s all in It’s all in howhow the lines are drawn! the lines are drawn!

ExampleExample

What about Texas?What about Texas?

Well, we had some problems Well, we had some problems in 1996.in 1996.

Majority-Minority DistrictsMajority-Minority Districts

Challenged in the Supreme Court in 1996, (by a HISD government teacher!) Vera v. Bush, and the Justices said that this was unconstitutional. They said you could not segregate people by race for districting purposes. That was a violation of the 14th’s equal protection clause.

Democrats in the St. Leg. couldn’t work it out, so a 3-judge panel had to redraw the lines.Democrats in the St. Leg. couldn’t work it out, so a 3-judge panel had to redraw the lines.

Oh, but that’s not the end to Oh, but that’s not the end to our story about our story about

gerrymandering in Texas!gerrymandering in Texas!

It got pretty nasty in 2003.It got pretty nasty in 2003.

Democrat’s Plan Republican’s 2003 Plan

Republican plan won.

Demographics:Total Population: 651,620 (+1)Anglo Black Hispanic Dems Reps Solid Republican, as of 2002

75.5% 9.2 18.7 40.7 59.3

Close up of District 10Close up of District 10

Where do you live?Where do you live?– http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/plans/planc01440/viehttp://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/plans/planc01440/vie

wer.htm?Title=PLAN%2001440C%20-U.S.%2wer.htm?Title=PLAN%2001440C%20-U.S.%20Congressional%20%20Districts%2C%201100Congressional%20%20Districts%2C%20110th%20%20CONGRESSth%20%20CONGRESS

What is the future of District 10?What is the future of District 10?

According to McCaul’s Austin office, According to McCaul’s Austin office, District 10 now has around 900,000 District 10 now has around 900,000 people in it, as of Oct, 2008. So it will people in it, as of Oct, 2008. So it will have to be redrawn after the 2010 census. have to be redrawn after the 2010 census.

Most of the growth in the district has Most of the growth in the district has occurred in the Cypress area.occurred in the Cypress area.

Demographics:

Total Population: 651,620 (+1)

Anglo Black Hispanic Dems Reps Solid Republican

67.5% 6.1 18.0 29.8 70.0

Represented by: John Culberson—Rep.

Demographics:Total Population: 651,619Anglo Black Hispanic Dems Reps Solid Republican60.6% 9.8 20.3 34.1 65.9

Represented by: Pete Olson—Rep.

Originally was Tom DeLay—Rep.

So what happened to Dist. 22?So what happened to Dist. 22?

Tom DeLay is under indictment for his Tom DeLay is under indictment for his involvement in the Republicans state legislators’ involvement in the Republicans state legislators’ redrawing of the district lines in 2004.redrawing of the district lines in 2004.

The Republican party has backed DeLay.The Republican party has backed DeLay.

People in his district were so fed up with him and People in his district were so fed up with him and the Rep. party, that they turned on them and the Rep. party, that they turned on them and voted for a Democrat, in 2006.voted for a Democrat, in 2006.

Hot race in 2008 between incumbent Nick Hot race in 2008 between incumbent Nick Lampson (D) and Pete Olson.Lampson (D) and Pete Olson.

Pete Olson won.Pete Olson won.

Demographics:Total Population: 651,619 Anglo Black Hispanic Dems Reps Solid Republican64.2% 19.5 12.6 39.4 60.6

Represented by: Ted Poe—Rep,

Demographics:Total Population: 651,619Anglo Black Hispanic Dems Reps Solid Democrat19.7% 41.0 35.6 74.0 26.0

Represented by: Sheila Jackson Lee—Dem.

Demographics:Total Population: 651,619 Anglo Black Hispanic Dems Reps Solid Democrat21.9% 10.4 66.1 64.2 35.8

Represented by: Gene Green—Dem.

Other Houston Area DistrictsOther Houston Area Districts

88thth: 67% Republican: 67% Republican– Represented by Kevin Brady—Rep.Represented by Kevin Brady—Rep.

99thth: 70% Democrat: 70% Democrat– Represented by Al Green—Dem.Represented by Al Green—Dem.

1010thth: 64% Republican: 64% Republican– Represented by Michael McCaul—Rep.Represented by Michael McCaul—Rep.

1414thth: 61% Republican: 61% Republican– Represented by Ron Paul—Rep. (Ran for Represented by Ron Paul—Rep. (Ran for

President last year!)President last year!)

So…So…

6 out of 9 districts in Harris County, are 6 out of 9 districts in Harris County, are supposed to be solid REPUBLICAN, andsupposed to be solid REPUBLICAN, and

Only 3 out of 9 districts in Harris County Only 3 out of 9 districts in Harris County are supposed to be solid DEMOCRAT.are supposed to be solid DEMOCRAT.

Clearly, giving the Republicans the Clearly, giving the Republicans the advantage of sending more of their like-advantage of sending more of their like-minded people to D.C.minded people to D.C.

Statewide ImpactStatewide Impact

BEFORE BEFORE (when Dems. drew the lines in 2001)(when Dems. drew the lines in 2001)

– 16 Democrats16 Democrats– 16 Republicans16 Republicans

NOW NOW (after Reps. (after Reps. reredrew the lines in 2004)drew the lines in 2004)– 11 Democrats11 Democrats– 21 Republicans21 Republicans

How could we take politics out of How could we take politics out of the equation?the equation?

A Redistricting CommissionA Redistricting Commission– AZ does this.AZ does this.– 3 Reps, 3 Dems, 3 Indep.3 Reps, 3 Dems, 3 Indep.

Will this happen in Texas?Will this happen in Texas?– Probably not.Probably not.– Why? The stakes are too high. Each party at Why? The stakes are too high. Each party at

the state level, wants more power and control the state level, wants more power and control in D.C.in D.C.

New Supreme Court rulingNew Supreme Court ruling

March 9, 2009March 9, 20095-4 decision5-4 decisionElectoral districts must have a majority of Electoral districts must have a majority of African-Americans or other minorities to be African-Americans or other minorities to be protected by a provision of the Voting Rights Act.protected by a provision of the Voting Rights Act.– This means that if a district is made up of This means that if a district is made up of lessless than than

half of a minority group, then the legislature cannot half of a minority group, then the legislature cannot make it a majority-minority district through make it a majority-minority district through gerrymandering, and use the VRA to justify it.gerrymandering, and use the VRA to justify it.

Impact: This could make it harder for southern Impact: This could make it harder for southern Democrats to draw friendly boundaries after the Democrats to draw friendly boundaries after the 2010 Census.2010 Census.

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/09/AR2009030900987_pf