Bar Exam Practice Questions

What process involves changing representation in a legislative body?

1. Redistricting

2. Reapportionment

3. Gerrymandering

4. Referendum

The correct answer is: Reapportionment

The process that involves changing representation in a legislative body is known as reapportionment. This occurs after a decennial census, where the population data is analyzed to allocate the appropriate number of legislative seats to different regions, typically at the congressional level. Reapportionment ensures that representation is fairly distributed based on population shifts, meaning that areas that have experienced growth may gain additional seats, while those that have declined may lose seats. Redistricting, while closely related, specifically refers to the actual drawing of district boundaries after reapportionment has taken place. It's a subsequent step that determines how the congressional or state legislative districts are configured. Gerrymandering is a manipulation of district boundaries aimed at favoring one party over another, and it is often a contentious outcome of redistricting processes rather than an indication of a standard representation change. A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and can involve various issues, including changes to legislation, but it does not inherently entail changes in legislative representation. Thus, reapportionment is the correct term for the process of adjusting representation in response to population changes.