Cool, good to know.  And without any parade of horrors, and not common for a century. 

________________________________

From: David Epstein [mailto:david.l.epstein@gmail.com]
Sent: Wed 3/1/2006 10:54 PM
To: Smith, Brad
Cc: election-law@majordomo.lls.edu
Subject: Re: prediction on congressional redistricting



Actually, this was a rather common practice in the late 19th century. Many states redistricted after changes in party power.


On 3/1/06, Smith, Brad < BSmith@law.capital.edu> wrote: 

	I just think this is not true at all.  It never (or at least never to my knowledge, and I'm comfortable enough with my knowledge to therefore at least conclude "very rarely") happened before, and even now most states have shown restraint.  I think it unlikely that Richard's horror scenario will occur, and frankly, if the votes last November in California and Ohio mean anything, they mean that voters would revolt.  It's even one of the factors hurting Tom DeLay in polls.
	
	Brad Smith
	
	________________________________
	
	From: owner-election-law_gl@majordomo.lls.edu on behalf of ban@richardwinger.com
	Sent: Wed 3/1/2006 9:06 PM
	To: election-law@majordomo.lls.edu
	Subject: prediction on congressional redistricting
	
	
	
	If the U.S. Supreme Court rules that Texas did not
	violate the Constitution when it redrew the boundaries
	of congressional districts in 2003 for partisan
	reasons, then every time a state transfers power from
	one major party to the other in the state executive 
	and legislative branches, we will see mid-decade
	partisan re-redistricting.
	
	For example, I can imagine the North Carolina
	legislature redrawing that state's congressional
	districts in 2007 (assuming Democrats are in the 
	majority in 2007; the governorship is not up in 2006
	and a Democrat is now governor).  In 2004 Democrats
	only won 6 of the state's 13 US House seats.  Creative
	redrawing should be able to get that up to 9 or 10. 
	
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-- 

**************************************
David Epstein
Professor of Political Science
Columbia University
New York, NY 10027
212-854-7566
http://www.columbia.edu/~de11
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