Reapportioning the U.S. Congress: The shifting geography of political influence. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gaynor, SoRelle Wyckoff; Gimpel, James G.
• Is Part Of: Political geography. Volume 86(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: Apportionment -- Legislative representation -- Political geography -- Reapportionment -- U.S. Congress -- Redistricting; Political geography -- Periodicals; Géographie politique -- Périodiques; 320.12
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polgeo.2021.102365
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0962-6298

Abstract

Abstract: Following each U.S. decennial census, congressional seats are reapportioned in pursuit of numerically equal districts. These shifts in congressional district populations have implications for representation in Congress that have not been systematically documented. Drawing upon redistricting cycles from 1960 through the most recent cycle in 2010, we compare the districts that have been removed due to population loss or slow growth with the locations that have seen the highest rate of population increase, indicative of the need for new seats. We find that certain populations—namely highly urban, minority, the native born, and those employed in declining economic sectors—are on the losing end of this seat reallocation process, while other populations—highly mobile, less urban, and white—are the sources of seat gains. Population growth rates are not singly responsible for the location of new or lost congressional seats. Not only does this research offer a comprehensive look at the demographic considerations that accompany congressional reapportionment, but also considers larger questions of how representation changes in Congress as seat losses and gains accumulate.