Who determines the boundaries of congressional districts?
As per Article One of the United States Constitution, elections to the House of Representatives are held every two years, and districts are apportioned amongst the states according to their respective numbers.
Who or what is responsible for drawing boundaries for new US congressional districts in Texas?
The governor may reconvene the Legislature if it fails to redraw congressional and/or SBOE district boundaries during the regular session. (SBOE redistricting is referenced in but not required by state law.) If not, state or federal district courts typically draw those maps.
Who usually draws congressional district lines quizlet?
United States Congress is made up of two houses, which is the Senate and the House of Representatives. In most states, the state legislature draws the boundary lines for each congressional election district. The process of setting up new district lines after reapportionment has been completed is called redistricting.
Which entity is responsible for drawing the boundaries of the legislative districts in Texas?
If Texas senate or house districts are not enacted during the first regular session following the publication of the decennial census, the Texas Constitution requires that the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB), a five‐member body of state officials including the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house, meet …
Who creates gerrymandered?
In 25 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to approval by the state governor.
Who gets to draw district lines?
Fifteen states use independent or politician commissions to draw state legislative districts. In the other states, the legislature is ultimately charged with drawing new lines, although some states have advisory or back-up commissions.
Why are some districts gerrymandered?
The primary goals of gerrymandering are to maximize the effect of supporters’ votes and to minimize the effect of opponents’ votes. By “cracking” districts, a political party could maintain, or gain, legislative control by ensuring that the opposing party’s voters are not the majority in specific districts.
Why is gerrymandering illegal?
The US Supreme Court has affirmed in Miller v. Johnson (1995) that racial gerrymandering is a violation of constitutional rights and upheld decisions against redistricting that is purposely devised based on race.
What happens if legislators can’t agree on the new lines quizlet?
This is where bills that create controversy in legislation end up (between the House and the Senate) When they can’t agree they send them there so they can work out an agreement together that is called a conference report.
Who is responsible for drawing constituency boundaries for federal elections quizlet?
They are drawn by the majority party in that state. So if there are 6 republican congressmen and 5 democrat congressmen the republicans can draw the district lines.
Why do politicians engage in gerrymandering quizlet?
Gerrymander is manipulating district boundaries to establish an advantage for a party or group. Politicians protect incumbents against others who are running to make sure that they get reelected. This can be done by making every district packed which would increase the chance of competitive elections.
What happens to representation in Congress as the population increases quizlet?
If the state’s population decreases, then the number of representatives decreases. If the state’s population increases, then the number of representatives increases. This happens every 10 years.
Which of the following is the most powerful figure in Congress?
Speaker of the House. The Speaker is the most powerful member of the House of Representatives, and arguably, the most influential single legislator in both houses.
What position does the vice president hold in the Senate quizlet?
The Vice President presides over the Senate but cannot vote except to break a tie. Also, the Constitution names the Vice President as the Senate’s president, but he or she does not have the same role or power as the Speaker of the House.
Can the Vice President vote in the Senate quizlet?
The Constitution gives the Vice President only two specific jobs: to take over in the event the President dies or resigns and to cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
What are the two formal duties of the vice president quizlet?
What are the formal duties of the Vice President in the Constitution? One formal duty of the Vice President is to preside over the Senate. Another formal duty is to help decide the question of presidential abilities. Make speeches around the nation defending the decisions and the policies of the president.
What is the role of the executive branch of the federal government?
The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. Key roles of the executive branch include: President—The president leads the country. He or she is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces.
What role does the vice president serve in the executive branch ?\?
The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress and, to that end, appoints the heads of the federal agencies, including the Cabinet. The Vice President is also part of the Executive Branch, ready to assume the Presidency should the need arise.
What is the chief purpose of the executive branch?
The executive branch of our Government is in charge of making sure that the laws of the United States are obeyed. The President of the United States is the head of the executive branch. The President gets help from the Vice President, department heads (called Cabinet members), and heads of independent agencies.
Can a governor give an executive order?
Governors can issue executive orders that require public health agencies to take specific actions.