[EL] new study of density/compactness and district bias/responsiveness

[JBoppjr at aol.com]

What are the "principles of partisan fairness?" Jim Bopp
 
 
In a message dated 5/20/2011 4:28:47 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
kierandwilliams at yahoo.com writes:

_http://www.bepress.com/spp/vol2/iss1/3/_ 
(http://www.bepress.com/spp/vol2/iss1/3/) 

Using  a Density-Variation/Compactness Measure to Evaluate Redistricting 
Plans 
for  Partisan Bias and Electoral Responsiveness
Thomas R. Belin, University of California, Los  Angeles
Heidi J. Fischer, University of California, Los  Angeles
Corwin M. Zigler,  Harvard  University

Abstract
The clear association between population density and partisan  preference 
in 
elections suggests that redistricting plans would be better  aligned with 
principles of partisan fairness if there were a deliberate  effort to 
balance 
population density across legislative districts. To  balance population 
density 
without sacrificing geometric compactness, we  define a 
density-variation/compactness (DVC) measure that can serve as a  one-number 
summary of a proposed redistricting plan. After analyzing voter 
registration 
data from  California to guide the  choice of a specific DVC measure, we 
evaluate 
its performance in both  actual and hypothetical redistricting plans using 
election data from Texas during the past decade. Using  a well-established 
political-science model of the relationship between  legislative 
representation 
and the proportion of votes received, higher  DVC scores corresponded to 
estimates of partisan bias with smaller  magnitude across a range of 
redistricting scenarios; meanwhile, contrary  to expectations that reduced 
partisan bias would be accompanied by reduced  electoral responsiveness, 
there 
was no discernible pattern between DVC  scores and estimates of electoral 
responsiveness. Although there are apt  to be multiple considerations in 
choosing 
a redistricting plan, we discuss  how the use of DVC measures could provide 
a 
check on attempts to introduce  partisan bias into the redistricting 
process.  







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