Casework-Gerrymandering of Congress

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the roles and responsibilities of members of Congress, redistricting, casework, and the electoral process.

Casework

Personal work done by a member of Congress for his or her constituents, involving assistance with issues related to government services.

Trustee Model

A representational role where elected officials make decisions based on their own judgment and personal views.

Delegate Model

An interpretation of a legislator's role where decisions are made to reflect the views and interests of constituents.

Politico Model

A combination of trustee and delegate models, where legislators make decisions based on the context of each issue.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing district boundaries to ensure proper representation based on population shifts, typically following the Census.

Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing political district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.

Incumbency Advantages

Benefits that current officeholders have, such as name recognition, credit claiming, casework, and easier fundraising opportunities.

Apportionment

The process of distributing representatives among the states based on population counts from the Census.

Census

A population count conducted every ten years which informs the apportionment process in Congress.

Constituents

The residents of a congressional district, whose interests and needs elected officials are expected to represent.