I learned several key concepts after completing the redistricting game. One of the key facts I learned is the difference between reapportionment and redistricting. When a state redraws boundaries of House Districts in a state, that is redistricting. Reapportionment is where the number of Congressional seats changes based on fluctuations in population. For example after the 2010 Census Michigan lost one congressional seat, while Texas gained four congressional seats. In the game, and in most States, State Legislatures control redistricting. Although subject to the approval of the Governor and Courts, many State Legislatures gerrymander the process in order to create districts made up voters from their party. This creates districts that are overwhelmingly made up of voters from one party, creating a polarized political environment. California has attempted to fix this problem by creating the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. This commission is made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. After the Census they are tasked with fairly, logically, and non-partisanly. Many States are considering adoopting this approach to take the partisanship out of politics. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Citizens_Redistricting_Commission
No comments:
Post a Comment