Republican politicians in Texas are redrawing district lines, giving white people disproportionate representation in state elections. The controversial practice, called gerrymandering, has long been used as a tool by politicians to help their party win elections. Although legal, the practice can negatively impact important aspects of free elections including how campaigns are run and who shows up to vote. Listen to learn more about gerrymandering and the various ways it can undermine democracy.
Story Length: 3:57
Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234
October 7, 2021
4:04
The U.S. Census Bureau has released results of the 2020 census, a head count of U.S. residents administered every 10 years. The statistics show that the American population has become much more diverse, and more people are identifying with multiple races. Census data are used to draw new voting districts that reflect the racial and ethnic make-up of the population, which impacts representation. Bureau officials estimate that several minority groups were likely undercounted this time, potentially affecting redistricting and resource allocation. Listen to learn more about the results of the 2020 census and how difficult conditions during the count may have influenced the results.
Read MoreAugust 12, 2020
5:43
Congress passed the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to protect the right of every citizen to vote. It ensured that unfair tests for voters could be challenged in court and gave the federal government oversight over states with a history of voter suppression. In 2013, however, the Supreme Court decided that a key part of the Voting Rights Act could no longer be enforced. Listen to learn about this change in federal voter protections and why one expert believes it puts the legacy of voting rights activist John Lewis at risk.
Read MoreSeptember 25, 2018
6:45
Interest in the upcoming midterm elections is higher than it has been in a long time, yet many Americans who are eligible to vote do not do so. More people tend to vote when there is a presidential race on the ballot. However, elections between those races (called midterms), which include important Congressional races, also have a significant impact on the lives of Americans. Listen to hear why some Americans who are able to vote have chosen not to cast a ballot and what that may mean for the election outcomes.
Read MoreMarch 26, 2015
4:59
In the U.S. all voters are required to cast their ballots in the district that’s been assigned to them by their state legislature. The state has the power to create and change legislative districts. In some states legislative districts look like jigsaw puzzles, created to increase the chance that the party in power remains in power. This process is called gerrymandering. Some states are fighting this practice by creating independent commissions to control redistricting. One case has risen to the U.S. Supreme court, where the constitutionality of independent commissions is being challenged.
Read More