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Mississippi:
What PR super districts might look like

This map is an example of how full representation voting systems -- such as choice voting, one-vote voting and cumulative voting � can be vehicles for providing fair representation for black voters.  Existing U.S. House districts, numbered 1 through 5, have been combined into two larger "super districts", A and B. The voting-age-populations (VAP) and black share of these populations are shown below.  The percentage of votes necessary to win is based on use of a full representation voting system.

Note how a state with currently one black-majority district and one black House member might easily have two black members with this plan. Using a similar technique, we were able to draw super-district plans that likely would increase the number of black U.S. House representatives from Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

In 1967,Congress passed a law requiring states to use one-seat U.S. House districts. This year, Congressman Mel Watt has introduced a bill called the States' Choice of Voting Systems Act (HR 1173) which would lift this requirement.  Similar super-district plans could be used for local and state redistricting plans in 2001-2.

 

Super Districts

Northern District  A
2 seats
Southern District  B
3 seats
Population:  719,962 1,106,493
Population per seat: 359,981 368,831
Winning Percentage: 33% 25%
Black % of VAP: 38.1% 27.2%
Voting Rights Analysis: Black voters could elect a candidate of choice. Black voters could elect a candidate of choice.

For more information, contact:

The Center for Voting and Democracy
www.fairvote.org

[email protected]
301-270-4616