Baker v Carr

1. Baker v Carr • 1961 District Reapportionment you want politics? - messy, nasty, important politics?

2. How are constitutional districts determined? Representative Bobby Scott- 3rd district Representative Eric Cantor- 7th District

3. Baker v Carr 1961 • Tennessee: Republican Baker complained Tennessee legislature had not drawn “updated” districts since 1901 • SC said this was not a political decision so the courts could make a judgement. • SC said, “one person one vote” • almost every state had to redistrict b/c of this ruling and urban areas gained and rural lost.....how did that affect politics?

4. So What? States in the 1960s - trying to avoid desegregation - often “drew new districts” which did NOT reflect true populations. This deceptive district drawing is called gerrymandering Reynolds v Sims 1964 SC said: legislative districts must be roughly equal in populations

5. Minority Majority Districts • Now states often create minority majority districts - purposefully drawn to create districts that represent minorities who may not otherwise be fairly represented

6. How are constitutional districts determined? Representative Bobby Scott- 3rd district

7. The Politics of It All • Redrawing districts is very important. What happens if the lines shift?

8. The politics of it all...

9. Virginia Redistricting for Incumbent Protection You need to know: 1. Who draws the congressional district maps? state legislatures 2.How often do they redraw them? every 10 years - based on the census 3. Why is it so important? incumbents (the current HoR member) is everything. 98% re-election rate