In our last posting, we discussed population changes from the perspective of changes in voter registration counts for all 144 legislative districts. In this article, we would like to examine population changes from Census data. This past week, the US Census released interim population estimates showing population changes for all 50 states between April 2, 2010 […]
Archive | Analysis
RSS feed for this sectionDemographic changes to Louisiana legislative districts, 2010-2014
Background The Louisiana Legislature consists of 105 representatives and 39 senators, all of whom are elected for four year terms. On average, each representative represents 43,000 people, while a senator (on average) represents 116,000 people.
Decision 2014: Louisiana Senate Poll/”Polling 101″
Earlier today, Public Policy Polling (also known as PPP) released a poll in the Louisiana Senate race that showed three term incumbent Mary Landrieu clinging to a one point lead over Representative Bill Cassidy (R-Baton Rouge). In its write up, PPP noted that this one point lead was a significant tightening of the race since […]
Decision 2014: a “New” New Orleans ?
Introduction For about 30 years, citywide elections in New Orleans had an air of predictability to them after its last white mayor, “Moon” Landrieu, left the office in 1977: the city’s (then) growing black population and voting majority split along racial lines, and the support of black voter groups (known as the “alphabet soup” organizations) […]
Fantasy redistricting – Part V (Louisiana Senate)
Background In the last installment of this series, we discussed how a legislative (specifically, the state House) redistricting plan might look if a partisan Democratic (and a Republican) redistricter were to draw the lines, given recent population estimates. In this final installment, we will redraw the state’s Senate districts. Given the change in voter registration […]
Fantasy redistricting – Part IV (B) (Louisiana House of Representatives – detailed maps)
In the last installment of the series, we examined what partisan redistricting plans would look like for the Louisiana House of Representatives. In this installment, we would like to display the more detailed metropolitan maps for those plans.
Fantasy redistricting – Part IV (Louisiana House)
Background In the last installment of this series, we discussed how a Congressional redistricting plan might look if a partisan Democratic (and a Republican) redistricter were to draw the lines, given recent population estimates. In this installment, we will redraw the state’s House districts. Given the change in voter registration between April 2010 (when the US […]
Fantasy redistricting – Part III (US House)
Background In the last installment of this series, we discussed how a Supreme Court redistricting plan might look if a partisan Democratic (and a Republican) redistricter were to draw the lines, given recent population estimates.
Fantasy redistricting – Part II (Louisiana Supreme Court)
Background In the first installment of this series, we discussed the basics of redistricting. In this installment, we will put this theory into practice by developing a hypothetical map for the Louisiana Supreme Court, given current population estimates.
Fantasy redistricting – Part I (Introduction)
In the political world, redistricting/reapportionment are the least understood parts of politics. This mystery is due to several factors: (1) this process is only undertaken once a decade upon release of the US Census population figures, (2) it is very much a politically charged exercise, and (3) only politicians (and their connected operatives) can really […]