Electoral boundaries
November 8th, 2012 at 3:00 pm by David Farrar
I’m glad that in NZ electoral boundaries are drawn up by the Representation Commission, which is primarily neutral officials.
Thomas Lumley at Stats Chat notes:
Article II, Section 16 of the Pennsylvania Constitution says that the Commonwealth’s 50 senatorial districts and 203 representative districts “shall be composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as practicable.” It also says that “Unless absolutely necessary, no county, city, incorporated town, borough township or ward shall be divided in forming either a senatorial or representative district.”
Now after reading that have a look at District 7 and especially District 12!
November 8th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
This is BY FAR the worst:
http://cookcountyteaparty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/illinois-4th-district-map-Gerrymandering.jpg
Vote:November 8th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Sort of like the rule that says a budget has to be passed every year – if you don’t want to follow the law what’s stopping you?
Vote:November 8th, 2012 at 7:33 pm
You should close off the poll on who will win the US election – lest newbies coming to the site inflate the reputation of regulars (for predicting such things) to an unnatural and unsustainable level.
Vote:November 8th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
“We have the best government that money can buy.”
–Mark Twain
Vote:November 8th, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Farrar you map is diffuse, misty, and fudge and probably about 50 kb,
Vote:need special glasses ,
Xavier map [3.08 pm ]is clear glare and scare
November 9th, 2012 at 7:44 am
That’s not say that New Zealand hasn’t seen its share of scraps at the representation commission, especially in pre-MMP days, but nothing like the rorts practised as a matter of routine by the US parties.
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 10:20 am
Not that this excuses it, but the key may be in the details – Pennsylvania Federal congressional districts shown here probably have to follow Federal guidelines (although administered by state officials), while the Pennsylania constitution will govern the state senators and representatives.
The map and the text describe different things!
Vote:November 9th, 2012 at 11:25 am
I’m surprised that DPF skips the punchline here: Pennylvania’s awful gerrymandering (since the post 2010 census redistricting) has ensured it grossly over-represents Republicans and under-represents Democrats.
Repubs won 15/18 PA congressional districts = 83% of the reps given only 49% of the vote!
Total/popular votes for Dem House candidates in PA = 2,702,901
Total/popular votes for Rep House candidates in PA = 2,627,031
PA is truly a travesty of democracy with a downright evil Republican establishment that should shame any principled conservative.
It’s the same story nationally (modulo recounts and provisionals still to be counted) although corresponding Democratic hackery elsewhere evens things up considerably:
total/popular votes for Democrat House candidates ~ 54 million
Vote:total/popular votes for Republicans House candidates ~ 53.5 million
Less than 50% vote share gets the Repubs at least 233 reps, i.e., at least 53% of the House.
November 9th, 2012 at 11:32 am
Whoops, I made a stupid error: PA Repubs’ 49% of the vote got them 13/18 = 72% of the reps (i.e., I transposed the 13:5 breakdown previously). Still unbelievably awful tho’.
Vote: