Adopt a Constituency

[minionofmidas]

we need some similar method in the US. Actually I think that's very similar to what's done in Iowa and Arizona, both of which have pretty fair districts (while Arizona has that district with the weird appendage, that wasn't done for partisan reasons but that that appendage contains a Hopi reservation, and the Hopis have traditionally had many disputes with the Apaches who make up the surrounding area, and probably wouldn't fit right together in the same district).

Navajos. Anyways the Hopis don't as a rule vote.

[bullmoose88]

Alright...I know of a few UK constituencies...but I'd like one that's like my area.

County: Bucks (2nd richest in the state)
State Senate District: 6th
State Senator: Robert "Tommy" Tomlinson (R), a liberal Republican, often sides with the Democratic Governor on some issues.

PA 6-Lower Bucks (South Central, Southwest Bucks) is home to older suburbs of Philadelphia, but also some very wealthy areas that were recently added to the district to boost Republican support.

median household income ranges from roughly 45000 (for some of the very blue collar areas, still not too shabby)-70000+(in the newer suburbs).

There used to be a very strong union presence in this area as many areas were homes for steel mill workers, but the area now is definitely service based (malls, large shopping centers, with stores like Barnes and Noble, Target, Walmart, Borders etc)...and lately I've noticed a ton of starbucks popping up.

Any idea?

I have a few ideas, but I need to know one other thing; how large is the Jewish population?

I honestly, don't know...I can't seem to find demographics...but if I had to guess, it's basically average (given some obvious deviation from the exact mean)

[J. J.]

I wish Dunwich was still a constituency.  :-)

Isn't Dunwich the rotten borough that continued to send two MPs to Parliament even after most of the village had been lost to sea erosion?

I never tire of Dunwich references.

It might have been the scource name for Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror," as well.

I actually had hear of the borough prior to hearing of Lovecraft.  (Ah, my misspent youth.)

[JohnFKennedy]

I will choose Lewisham West and I am confident to say Labour will win there with a majority of around 10,000 votes. Turnout will probably be around the 50% mark.

You already live there baby.

I have Oxford West & Abingdon (LD) and Mole Valley (Con) per my two registered addresses.

The only thing of vague interest is whether the Greens will save their deposit in one and whether UKIP can do the same in the other

Shhhh! Peter, can you tell me if most students vote in their Uni constituency or their home constituency please, was having an argument about it today.

[Emsworth]

I wish Dunwich was still a constituency.  :-)

Isn't Dunwich the rotten borough that continued to send two MPs to Parliament even after most of the village had been lost to sea erosion?

I never tire of Dunwich references.

It might have been the scource name for Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror," as well.

I actually had hear of the borough prior to hearing of Lovecraft.  (Ah, my misspent youth.)

When speaking of rotten boroughs, however, I think that the usual reference is to Old Sarum.

[Hatman 🍁]

I've already picked a constituency, however I would like to know which one best matches my riding of Ottawa South. Demographics are here: http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/fedprofile/RetrieveTable.cfm?R=FED03&G=35064

[Peter]

Shhhh! Peter, can you tell me if most students vote in their Uni constituency or their home constituency please, was having an argument about it today.

Most of us probably vote at Uni (if we've bothered to register) because its far too much effort to get a postal vote for home. Most of the people I know are voting here in Oxford.

[J. J.]

I wish Dunwich was still a constituency.  :-)

Isn't Dunwich the rotten borough that continued to send two MPs to Parliament even after most of the village had been lost to sea erosion?

I never tire of Dunwich references.

It might have been the scource name for Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror," as well.

I actually had hear of the borough prior to hearing of Lovecraft.  (Ah, my misspent youth.)

When speaking of rotten boroughs, however, I think that the usual reference is to Old Sarum.

Gatten

[Emsworth]

I wish Dunwich was still a constituency.  :-)

Isn't Dunwich the rotten borough that continued to send two MPs to Parliament even after most of the village had been lost to sea erosion?

I never tire of Dunwich references.
It might have been the scource name for Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror," as well.
I actually had hear of the borough prior to hearing of Lovecraft.  (Ah, my misspent youth.)

When speaking of rotten boroughs, however, I think that the usual reference is to Old Sarum.

Gatten

Having just read up on rotten boroughs, it seems that Gatten had just two voters. Rather surprisingly, however, Gatten was not the worst of the constituencies in Britain: that distinction would seem to go to the Scottish county of Bute, which in one year saw only a single voter vote - for himself.

[J. J.]

I wish Dunwich was still a constituency.  :-)

Isn't Dunwich the rotten borough that continued to send two MPs to Parliament even after most of the village had been lost to sea erosion?

I never tire of Dunwich references.
It might have been the scource name for Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror," as well.
I actually had hear of the borough prior to hearing of Lovecraft.  (Ah, my misspent youth.)

When speaking of rotten boroughs, however, I think that the usual reference is to Old Sarum.

Gatten

Having just read up on rotten boroughs, it seems that Gatten had just two voters. Rather surprisingly, however, Gatten was not the worst of the constituencies in Britain: that distinction would seem to go to the Scottish county of Bute, which in one year saw only a single voter vote - for himself.

Well this really due to turnout, as Bute had 21 voters at the time (okay 20 of them didn't live there).  I think it was 1831.

In PA, there are a few munciplalities with very few voters, the smallest, with 3 voters, is Green Hills Borough, Washington County, with a population in 2000 of 18.  In the 2004, governor's race, six votes were cast.

[Lt. Gov. Immy]

Okay, Al, is there a place like Latah County where I am now?  There's the University of Idaho nd the city of Moscow (combined population 35,000) that is fairly liberal and it is surround by a lot of very small rural and farming communities.  We have one elected Democrat and two moderate-to-liberal Republicans, probably the most liberal Republicans, actually.  I'm hoping that there wil lbe a place where I can cheer for the Lib Dem.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Ceredigion I guess (interestingly it's also in Wales). Has two universities; Aberystwth (which is fairly large) and Lampeter (which is extremely small and interesting in several other ways) and a lot of hill farms spread over a very remote and very rural interior. There used to be some lead mines in the NE of the seat.
It's also coastal, which doesn't fit at all, but it's as close as I can find.

It was a Liberal seat from 1885 until Labour won two fluke terms in '66 and '70 (seeing as the only sizeable Labour vote is in Lampeter I still don't understand how it happend) before reverting to the Liberals in 1974. It was the biggest shock of 1992 when Plaid came from *fourth* place to take the seat (although as it's 60% Welsh speaking maybe it shouldn't have been much of a shock) and it's been theirs ever since.
It's currently pretty marginal, and the LibDems think they have a good chance of winning it back.

[minionofmidas]

Only from 1885?
Anyways, isn't Aberystwyth Uni Welsh-speaking? Nice enough place, btw.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Only from 1885?

My mistake; it's 1855...

[quote[Anyways, isn't Aberystwyth Uni Welsh-speaking?

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Bi-lingual

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True. Most of Wales is nice IMO

[Lt. Gov. Immy]

Ceredigion I guess (interestingly it's also in Wales). Has two universities; Aberystwth (which is fairly large) and Lampeter (which is extremely small and interesting in several other ways) and a lot of hill farms spread over a very remote and very rural interior. There used to be some lead mines in the NE of the seat.
It's also coastal, which doesn't fit at all, but it's as close as I can find.

It was a Liberal seat from 1885 until Labour won two fluke terms in '66 and '70 (seeing as the only sizeable Labour vote is in Lampeter I still don't understand how it happend) before reverting to the Liberals in 1974. It was the biggest shock of 1992 when Plaid came from *fourth* place to take the seat (although as it's 60% Welsh speaking maybe it shouldn't have been much of a shock) and it's been theirs ever since.
It's currently pretty marginal, and the LibDems think they have a good chance of winning it back.

Awesome Al.  I'll definatley be watching these seats on Election night.

[Emsworth]

Well this really due to turnout, as Bute had 21 voters at the time (okay 20 of them didn't live there).  I think it was 1831.

The quotation from Erskine May's Constitutional History is:

"A case of inconceivable grotesqueness was related by the Lord Advocate, in 1831. The county of Bute, with a population of fourteen thousand, had twenty-one electors, of whom one only resided in the county. 'At an election at Bute, not beyond the memory of man, only one person attended the meeting, except the sheriff and the returning officer. He, of course, took the chair, constituted the meeting, called over the roll of freeholders, answered to his own name, took the vote as to the Preses, and elected himself. He then moved and seconded his own nomination, put the question as to the vote, and was unanimously returned.' "

[Hatman 🍁]

Al, you forgot my request!

[bullmoose88]

Any idea for me?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Bullmoose: Bury South would seem to fit best (actually none of Bury proper is in the seat, it should actually be called Prestwich & Radcliffe...) although the cheaper homes were built for cotton mill workers rather than steelworkers (this being Lancashire after all) and the area isn't doing as well economically as Bucks county.
The seat has a high Jewish population (by U.K standards) and is a pretty safe Labour seat nowadays.

Earl: need to know one thing; is part of the seat a mostly gentrified inner city area, or is it all suburban?

[minionofmidas]

Well this really due to turnout, as Bute had 21 voters at the time (okay 20 of them didn't live there).  I think it was 1831.

The quotation from Erskine May's Constitutional History is:

"A case of inconceivable grotesqueness was related by the Lord Advocate, in 1831. The county of Bute, with a population of fourteen thousand, had twenty-one electors, of whom one only resided in the county. 'At an election at Bute, not beyond the memory of man, only one person attended the meeting, except the sheriff and the returning officer. He, of course, took the chair, constituted the meeting, called over the roll of freeholders, answered to his own name, took the vote as to the Preses, and elected himself. He then moved and seconded his own nomination, put the question as to the vote, and was unanimously returned.' "

Why were the people of Bute not allowed to vote? I mean, like, all 14 thousand of them?

[patrick1]

I'll adopt Boston and Skegness where a branch of my family lived some 500 years ago.  Also one of closest races the last election.  I'll have to read up on this more.  I will be supporting a Labour pickup.

[Emsworth]

Well this really due to turnout, as Bute had 21 voters at the time (okay 20 of them didn't live there).  I think it was 1831.

The quotation from Erskine May's Constitutional History is:

"A case of inconceivable grotesqueness was related by the Lord Advocate, in 1831. The county of Bute, with a population of fourteen thousand, had twenty-one electors, of whom one only resided in the county. 'At an election at Bute, not beyond the memory of man, only one person attended the meeting, except the sheriff and the returning officer. He, of course, took the chair, constituted the meeting, called over the roll of freeholders, answered to his own name, took the vote as to the Preses, and elected himself. He then moved and seconded his own nomination, put the question as to the vote, and was unanimously returned.' "

Why were the people of Bute not allowed to vote? I mean, like, all 14 thousand of them?

Probably because of the pre-Reform Act property qualifications. Such qualifications were in effect not only in Bute, but in the rest of the country as well.

[minionofmidas]

Yes...but striking the entire population off the voting lists due to property requirements sounds...extreme.
Probably an effect of extreme poverty (think Highland clearances) in combination with local rules on land tenure being somewhat at odds with the Acts describing who can vote (whatever that was called, pre-1832).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'll adopt Boston and Skegness where a branch of my family lived some 500 years ago.  Also one of closest races the last election.  I'll have to read up on this more.  I will be supporting a Labour pickup.

Very interesting race that one; the area is extremely eurosceptic and the local authority gave UKIP one of their best showings in the Euro elections.
There's speculation that if they poll strongly, they could easily let Labour in on a split vote. Tories have also been hurt by the antics of Lincolnshire County Council...

[Emsworth]

Yes...but striking the entire population off the voting lists due to property requirements sounds...extreme.
Probably an effect of extreme poverty (think Highland clearances) in combination with local rules on land tenure being somewhat at odds with the Acts describing who can vote (whatever that was called, pre-1832).

Also, qualifications varied throughout England. There were open boroughs (in which any male adult present at the time of the election could vote), freeman boroughs (in which all freemen could vote), Scot and Lot boroughs (in which only ratepayers could vote), burgage boroughs (in which property qualifications existed), and corporation boroughs (in which the city corporation/ council chose the MP).

Disenfranchisement of residents was not unique to Bute. For example, in 1824, Edinburgh had over 100,000 residents, but only 33 were qualified to vote. In 1780, about 6,000 voters returned a majority of the members of Parliament.