Chapter 4A part 2

Question 1

Apportionment

Answer 1

The process of allotting congressional seats to each state following the census according to their proportion of the population

Question 2

Census

Answer 2

Occurs every ten years, determines what percent of the population of the US a state makes up

Question 3

Redistricting

Answer 3

Redrawing congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to the states as well as the population shirts with a state; done by the state legislatures

Question 4

Gerrymandering

Answer 4

The legislative process through which the majority party in each statehouse tries to assure that the maximum number of representatives from its political party can be elected to congress through redrawing of legislative districs

Question 5

what 4 things has the supreme court ruled regarding redistricting over the years?

Answer 5

a. congressional as well as state legislative districts must be apportioned on the basis of population-relatively the same size
b. district lines must be continuos break the line
c. Bleaching is illegal under the voting rights act of 1965
d. redrawing districts for obvious racial purposes to enhance minority representation is constitutional if race is not the “predominate” factor over all other factors that are part of traditional redistricting including compactness

Question 6

When might a state government do a “bi-partisan” gerrymandering to create safe districs for both parties?

Answer 6

In states with a divided government

Question 7

Partisan

Answer 7

Drawing lines that favor one party

Question 8

bi-partisan

Answer 8

drawing lines to create safe districts for both parties

Question 9

compact

Answer 9

district lines have to be drawn in a central manner

Question 10

contiguous

Answer 10

district lines have to be continuous, that is never ending

Question 11

how can redistricting be used to punish incumbents of the opposition party?

Answer 11

they can be placed in districts with incumbents from the majority party

Question 12

Who is the presiding officer of the senate and who currently holds this position?

Answer 12

the vice president; joe biden

Question 13

when the vice president is absent the president pro temporae

Answer 13

is usually the longest serving member of the majority party however in reality has basically no power; is currently Arin Hatch of Utah

Question 14

who is the speaker of the house?

Answer 14

the most important member of congress; Paul Ryan