final paper

MPA 611

Public and Administrative Law

Belhaven University

Unit 2 – Lecture 1

The Structure of Government and How It Works

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■ Lecture 1 (Chapter 2)

❑ The Electoral College

❑ Key Provision of the U.S. Constitution and How They Impact the

Political Process

❑ Congressional Districts and Apportionment, Including Issues of

Redistricting and Gerrymandering

❑ Development of Political Parties

❑ History and Current Status of Voting

■ Lecture 2 (Chapter 3)

❑ The Three Branches of U.S. Government

❑ Relationship Between Federal and State Government

❑ Governing Structures Around the World

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Unit 2 Topics

■ Lecture 1 -- Chapter 2

❑ Identify the purpose and process of the electoral college.

❑ Examine the constitutional provisions related to the

election process.

❑ Examine the basis and purpose of congressional districts

and apportionments, including issues of redistricting and

gerrymandering.

❑ Explain the historical development and purposes of

political parties.

❑ Identify modern issues related to voting, including

registration, disenfranchisement, and the Voting Rights

Act.

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Unit 2 Objectives

■ 1 Timothy 2:1-6 -- I urge, then, first of all, that petitions,

prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all

people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may

live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all

people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the

truth. For there is one God and one mediator between

God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave

himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been

witnessed to at the proper time.

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Biblical Foundation

■ Matthew 7:1-12 -- “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in

the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the

measure you use, it will be measured to you … So in everything, do

to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the

Law and the Prophets … “Therefore everyone who hears these

words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who

built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose,

and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall,

because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears

these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a

foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the

streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it

fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things,

the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one

who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

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Biblical Foundation, cont.

■ Deuteronomy 1:9-18 -- At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone. The Lord your God has increased your

numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky. May the

Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless

you as he has promised! But how can I bear your problems and your

burdens and your disputes all by myself? Choose some wise, understanding

and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.” So I took the leading

men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have

authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and

of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear

the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is

between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing

among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great

alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any

case too hard for you, and I will hear it.” And at that time I told you

everything you were to do.

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Biblical Foundation, cont.

■ Result of compromise between the 13 original states

over how to establish fair representation in the new

federal government

■ Created by Article II of the Constitution

■ Each state is allotted a number of electors based upon

their number of representatives.

■ D.C. allotted number equal to smallest state (23rd

Amendment to Constitution)

■ Electors are usually affiliated with party.

■ Each state determines its electors.

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Electoral College

■ Winner-take-all approach

Popular vote → Electors cast electoral votes

■ Possibility that a presidential candidate may win

electoral votes but not popular vote

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Electoral College, cont.

■ Redistricting -- states are required to reapportion

their congressional districts following the

decennial census if population has shifted

■ Constitution requires that each state draw

districts to equally apportion population within

those districts (within 1% of the average

population of all districts)

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Districting

■ Gerrymandering -- process of drawing congressional

districts in a way that gives the party in power an

advantage over the minority party, even if that minority

party would have a majority of the popular vote in the

district

❑ Cracking -- breaks apart majorities of a single party in

order to dilute their voting power

❑ Packing -- consolidation of voters of a single political party

into compact districts to minimize their overall effect on

the election; by giving up some districts, the party drawing

the lines can maximize the overall number of districts in

which they will have a majority share.

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Districting, cont.

■ Registration

❑ Timing

❑ Voter ID

■ Disenfranchisement

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Voting -- Current Issues

■ Complete reading assignments.

■ Complete writing assignments.

■ Answer discussion questions.

■ Complete unit quiz.

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What’s Next?

■ Fandl, K. J. (2019). Law and public policy. New

York, NY: Routledge.

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References