Dynamic Responsiveness in Congress: When Do Representatives and Institutions Respond to Redistricting-Induced Constituency Change?

26 Pages Posted: 15 Jul 2012 Last revised: 20 Aug 2012

See all articles by Walter Wilson

Walter Wilson

University of Texas at San Antonio

Curtis Ellis

Auburn Montgomery

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

The demographic makeup of district constituencies has been shown to predict individual representatives’ voting support for minority interests. Redistricting induced changes in constituency ideology also elicits corresponding shifts in ideological voting behaviors of individual representatives. But do redistricting induced shifts in constituency demographics produce corresponding shifts in support for group interests in increasingly certain electoral environments? By examining the extent which demographic changes induced by the 2000 redistricting correspond with changes in group support from the 107th to the 108th Congresses, as measured by the NHLA, LCCR, NAACP, and DW Nominate, we show that changes in individual voting behavior is driven by partisan trends, not responsiveness to specific district constituencies. These findings indicate a dramatic lack of dynamic responsiveness, and suggest that contemporary partisan Gerrymandering may diminish “delegate” representation in Congress.

Keywords: redistricting representation

Suggested Citation

Wilson, Walter and Ellis, Curtis, Dynamic Responsiveness in Congress: When Do Representatives and Institutions Respond to Redistricting-Induced Constituency Change? (2012). APSA 2012 Annual Meeting Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2107825

Walter Wilson (Contact Author)

University of Texas at San Antonio ( email )

One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249
United States

Curtis Ellis

Auburn Montgomery ( email )

Montgomery, AL
United States

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