Evenwel, Voting Power and Dual Districting

Abstract

In this paper I will show that it is always possible to draw representation districts that will be simultaneously close in both total population and citizen voting age population (or, indeed, any pair of populations that is desired.) Thus the Supreme Court need not choose between equalizing representation and equalizing voting power as it is asked to do in Evenwel v Abbott. By example I show that requiring equality of both total population and citizen voting age population may force the dilution of minority votes, though. Some of my analysis depends on how the Court chooses to assess the deviation in voting power. I derive the relationship between the deviation of voting power and the deviation of voting populations and show that the standard of 10% deviation in the voting population leads to a deviation of less than 10% in voting power over a broad range of models.

Keywords: Evenwel v Abbott, Voting, Districting