EXAMPLE 18 Percentage Inequity in the 113th Congress

602

Let’s refer to Table 14.17 again and recalculate the “bottom line” as percentage differences. For example, for the percentage difference in district population with the “13-2” apportionment, we would divide the absolute difference, 208,195, by the lesser district population, which is Rhode Island’s, 527,634. The result is 39.46%. You can calculate the remaining entries and obtain the following.

You can see that the percentage differences in district population and representative share are the same, as Professor Huntington said that they would be, and that in terms of these, the “13-2” apportionment, where North Carolina gets 13 seats and Rhode Island gets 2, is preferred.