Redistricting, Candidate Entry, and the Politics of Nineteenth-Century U.S. House Elections

• Published in: American journal of political science 2006-04, Vol.50 (2), p.283-293
• Main Authors: Carson, Jamie L., Engstrom, Erik J., Roberts, Jason M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 19th century; American history; Candidates; Congressional districts; Congressional elections; Data analysis; Districts; Election districts; Election results; Elections; Electoral results; Functional analysis; History; Incumbents; Legislative Bodies; Legislature; Legislatures; Nineteenth Century; Political candidates; Political parties; Political partisanship; Politicians; Politics; Presidential elections; Race; Redistricting; U.S.A; Voting
• ISSN: 0092-5853; 1540-5907
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5907.2006.00184.x

The effects of redistricting on candidate entry patterns in contemporary House races has received growing attention in the scholarly literature, yet virtually no consideration has been given to this question in the context of historical elections. This is unfortunate as the wider variation in congressional redistricting during the nineteenth century gives us increased leverage in terms of understanding strategic candidate behavior. Utilizing a new dataset of candidate quality for nineteenth-century House races, we examine whether candidates with prior electoral experience are more likely to run in districts that are altered during the redistricting process, and provide an account of how differences in the prevalence of redistricting may affect strategic entry decisions of politicians. Our results suggest that entry decisions and electoral outcomes are affected by redistricting in this era. Moreover, our analysis provides an opportunity to use history to test contemporary theories of congressional elections in a broader context.