Gerrymandering- creating districts in odd shapes to over/under represent a group

Gerrymandering Works!

• Incumbency Rate: the rate at which incumbents (those who are already in office) are reelected each year. Historically, it’s been 90+%.

Pennsylvania’s 19 Districts2000-2010

• Not aprettypicture…

Our District

• What’s upwith thatweird piecejutting intoMontco?

From the “Greenwood Gash”to the “Murphy Margin”

What the heck is that thing?

What the heck is that thing?

??????

In our own backyard…

N.Y. Senate District 34

N.Y. Assembly District 131

Yes, this is a REAL district…

Gerrymandering Activity Part 1

• Get 4 colored pencils (does not have to be red, blue, green, and yellow)

• The big square on the page is a state with 4 districts, color each district (quadrant) a different color.

• Count up how many D voters and how many R voters live in each district. Write those numbers on the lines below and determine who won the election, the D’s or the R’s?

Gerrymandering Activity Part 2

• The big square is still the same state, the D’s and R’s are all in the same places, and they still should have 4 districts.

• This time you are going to draw the districts to give the Republicans an advantage and make them win the election.

• 3 Rules:– All districts need to have the same population (6 squares)– All districts need to be Continuous (or each square

touching another on 1 side). No diagonals, 4 corners, etc.– A tie is not a win