what was the most important round of redistricting?

[freepcrusher]

I'm guessing either 1931 or 1991.

In 1931, the lines hadn't been redrawn in 20 years and something like 25 seats were shifted. California still has the record for most seats gained with nine. A lot had changed during the past 20 years as cities in the northeast, rustbelt, and great lakes all added a lot of people giving more clout to the cities in congress. That is part of the reason why democrats picked up 97 seats in 1932. Also, it was bad timing for the republicans. Before 1932, most american cities were republican. Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland were all republican strongholds.

1991 also had the biggest number of seats being shifted since 1931 with 19. Even more important is that is over a 10 year period of time and not a 20 year period of time like it was in 1931. It was the last time where California picked up a bunch of seats. It was also the last time where democrats had near control over the redistricting process and had a 270-164-1 majority in congress to begin with. One would think that the democrats would have kept the house all throughout the 90s, but apparently they miscalculated. Part of the reason is that the conservative supreme court mandated the creation of "ni--er depository districts". The republicans picked up 64 seats in the next two cycles.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

With those details you provided, certainly 1931.


However initially I would go with 1991 because of its affects on the Southern districts and thus setting the stage for 1994 in states like GA, SC, AL, etc.

[jimrtex]

With those details you provided, certainly 1931.


However initially I would go with 1991 because of its affects on the Southern districts and thus setting the stage for 1994 in states like GA, SC, AL, etc.

I'd say the mid-1960s after the one man one vote decisions such as Reynolds v Sims

A lot of states did not redistrict for the 1932 election.  KY(9), MN(9). MO(13), ND(2), and VA(9) elected their entire delegations at large.  CT(1), IL(2), NY(2), OH(2), OK(2), TX(3) elected their new representatives at large.  All but Texas did so for the entire decade.  I'd guess that they didn't bother to adjust the boundaries of the other districts as well.

[Nichlemn]

2001, because it was the most recent and everyone loves recency bias.