Electoral Geography:
Definition: elections relationship to geographic and socioeconomic factors--the geography of voting (patterns), geographic influences on voting (the neighborhood effect), geography of representation (# of districts & boundaries)
Gerrymandering-gives advantages to a particular party or group by drawing boundaries advantageously
Types of Redistricting problems:
Redistricting-redrawing a district boundaries because of changes in House seats, population growth, and distribution
Reapportionment-movement of House seats due to population growth or shrinkage
Excess Vote-concentrating one group in the fewest areas so they win overwhelmingly there, but little influence is felt in other areas where they could win
Wasted Vote-break up the concentration of voters into many districts so that dispersion wastes their votes
Stacked Vote-draw boundaries in grotesque shapes to take in or avoid groups or weaknesses
Comments