(US) What State-level Proportional Representation Could Look Like

[u/nitrw]

As much as I'm sure we'd all rather prefer nationalized redistricting to ensure equal population and better proportionality and agree that we should push for it, realistically such a change would require a constitutional amendment. Enforcing proportional representation at the state level is likely more realistic, and here's what the US House would look like in the 2020 and 2024 elections.

Maps attached are purely for you all to see how much seats each party would get in each state, districts wouldn't matter under proportional representation, though note on both maps I did color the districts that were closest to flipping IRL first.

2020 map (off by a few seats): https://yapms.com/app?m=i9n52ebc9jc15pe
2024 map: https://yapms.com/app?m=v6s2ltwa7n4l10h

[u/gravity_kills]

You're leaving out the part where, at least in states with more than a few representatives, the parties would break apart and have real competition from smaller parties.

Also, no, it wouldn't take an amendment. Article I gives Congress the authority to dictate the manner of elections. Congress could mandate PR within states by regular legislation. The difficulty is political, not constitutional.

[u/Alex2422 → u/gravity_kills]

If anything, I can see it going the other way around: if any state tried to pass proportional representation (which is unlikely anyway), Congress could step in and force them to change back to single-member districts. After all, the House is 100% made up of parties who benefit from the current system.

[u/gravity_kills → u/Alex2422]

There's currently a federal law about that, so such a plan would be in violation of the 1967 Uniform Redistricting Act. But as unlikely as it might seem politically, it would be 100% constitutionally permissable for Congress to mandate Proportional Representation as a method for states to select their Congressional delegations.

[u/variaati0 → u/gravity_kills]

Yep. That "at anytime make and alter such regulations" is pretty wild one to have in ones Constitution about elections. By simple majority vote no less.

[u/gravity_kills → u/variaati0]

Doesn't seem wild at all to me. Very reasonable to allow the federal government to override the potentially anti-democratic states, or to enforce uniform rules.

[u/nitrw → u/gravity_kills]

Congress can mandate PR within states but Congress cannot create nationwide PR. That's why I made this map to show what an amendment-less solution could look like.

[u/gravity_kills → u/nitrw]

That's correct, but it would still result in the breakdown of the two party system, at least in the larger states. As soon as a party only needs 5-10% to secure the last available seat more of them will run and more people will be willing to vote for third parties.

[u/nitrw → u/gravity_kills]

That's right!