Gerrymandering in America : the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and the future of popular sovereignty /

This book considers the political and constitutional consequences of Vieth v. Jubelirer (2004), where the Supreme Court held that partisan gerrymandering challenges could no longer be adjudicated by the courts. Through a rigorous scientific analysis of U.S. House district maps, the authors argue tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: McGann, Anthony J. (Author), Smith, Charles Anthony, 1961- (Author), Latner, Michael (Author), Keena, Alex (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, [2016]
Subjects:
Description
Summary:This book considers the political and constitutional consequences of Vieth v. Jubelirer (2004), where the Supreme Court held that partisan gerrymandering challenges could no longer be adjudicated by the courts. Through a rigorous scientific analysis of U.S. House district maps, the authors argue that partisan bias increased dramatically in the 2010 redistricting round after the Vieth decision, both at the national and state level. From a constitutional perspective, unrestrained partisan gerrymandering poses a critical threat to a central pillar of American democracy, popular sovereignty. State legislatures now effectively determine the political composition of the U.S. House. The book answers the Court's challenge to find a new standard for gerrymandering that is both constitutionally grounded and legally manageable. It argues that the scientifically rigorous partisan symmetry measure is an appropriate legal standard for partisan gerrymandering, as it logically implies the constitutional right to individual equality and can be practically applied.
Physical Description:vi, 261 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (pages 237-245) and index.
ISBN:9781107143258
110714325X
9781316507674
131650767X