Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and Native Representation

About This Site #

This site hosts data and supplementary figures for the following paper:

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and Native Representation Nicholas Eubank (Duke University) and Emily Rong Zhang (UC Berkeley School of Law) Forthcoming

Abstract #

We undertake the first systematic, cross-state investigation of the relationship between Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and Native representation. Though it is not necessary for Native representation, it remains an important contributor. It also contributes to packing of Native voters: safe Section 2 districts — in which Native voters constitute a majority — decrease Native influence in surrounding districts. We provide novel empirical support for a longstanding critique of Section 2’s focus on minority ability to elect, not their influence. Because Native communities have relatively small populations, the focus on electability can impose especially harsh trade-offs on influence.

Contents #

This repository contains data and additional plots that supplement the analyses in the paper, including:

• Probability Plots — likelihood of electing a Native representative as a function of district Native VAP, for both redistricting cycles and by chamber and state
• District Native Share Histograms — distribution of state legislative districts by Native VAP, showing which districts did and did not elect a Native representative
• Dislocation Maps (Absolute) — absolute dislocation values by district for all seven states with significant Native populations, for both redistricting cycles
• Dislocation Maps (Proportional) — analogous analyses using proportional dislocation values (the conventional measure in the partisan gerrymandering literature)
• Replication data — underlying data used to produce the paper’s results (coming soon)
• Replication code — code to reproduce all analyses (coming soon)

Questions or comments? Contact Nicholas Eubank.