Elections Median Voter Liberal Conservative Anthony Downs two party competition results in attempt by both parties to gain the vote of the median voter The era of big government is over Bill Clinton in search of the median voter circa 199 Redistricting States draw new boundaries for electoral districts every ten years Gerrymandering drawing an electoral district in order to give electoral advantage to one political party Proposed Austin Congressional Districts 201 2012 Elections In the U S as a whole 1 4 million more people voted for Democrats than for Republicans in House of Representatives elections Result 234 Republican seats and 201 Democratic seats Democra Republica Other t n 1 885 178 2 290 723 119 30 9 Total Votes in Texas elections for the U S House of Representatives 2002 Result 17 Democrats 15 Republicans Redistricting Techniques Goal to minimize the impact of a particular political group Packing placing a large percentage of the group in question within one district Cracking Splitting voters from one group into multiple districts One Person One Vote Baker v Carr 1962 Congressional Districts within a state must have approximately equal numbers of residents Reynolds v Simms 1964 state legislative districts must follow the same rules Voting Rights Act 1965 Eliminated various barriers to minority voting Originally aimed at African American voters Extended to language minority groups in 1975 Renewed on a number of occasions Preclearance Until 2013 states and communities with a history of racial discrimination in voting were required to seek prior approval for changes to their election codes and district boundaries Texas grew by 4 3 million between 2000 and 2010 Result Granted 4 new Congressional Districts Justice Department and Federal Court in San Antonio found that the new map was intentionally discriminatory Types of Elections Primaries In which a political party chooses its nominee In Texas a candidate needs to get a majority of the vote in the primary If they do not a run off primary is held General Election Candidates from competing parties square off Shelby County AL v Holder 2013 Our country has changed While any racial discrimination in voting is too much Congress must ensure that the legislation it passes to remedy that problem speaks to current conditions The Court s opinion can hardly be described as an exemplar of restrained and moderate decision making Quite the opposite Hubris is a fit word for today s demolition of the VRA Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet Ruth Bader Ginsburg 2010 2008 2006 2004 2002 2000 Texas 32 3 54 4 30 9 53 7 34 2 49 2 USA 40 8 61 6 40 4 60 1 39 5 54 2 Participation of Voting Eligible Population in Elections 2012 General Election Overall U S Turnout 58 2 of voting eligible population Texas Turnout 49 7 of voting eligible population Only West Virginia 46 3 Hawaii 44 2 and Oklahoma 49 2 had lower turnouts Mitt Romney Republican 4 5 million votes Barack Obama Democrat 3 3 million votes Result 38 electoral college votes for Mitt 2012 Senatorial Election in Texas Republican Primary Run off Ted Cruz 631 316 David Dewhurst 480 161 Ted Cruz Republican 4 4 million votes Paul Sadler Democrat 3 1 million votes Elections in Texas Almost every state wide official is elected A number of cities hold off year or even non November elections Arlington holds municipal elections every spring current mayor Robert Cluck was elected with 7 800 votes in May of 2013 Voting on Constitutional Amendments occurs during November of odd numbered years Responses Motor Voter Law 1995 Allows people to register to vote when getting a driver s license Early Voting Makes it easier for people to vote Florida Fair Districts constitutional amendments adopted by referendum with 63 of the vote in 2010 California Bipartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission