AP Human Geography 2015 Scoring Guidelines: Part A: (1 Point Total)

AP® HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
2015 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 1
In the redistricting that occurred in 2012, voters in Maryland approved a

redrawn Third Congressional District as shown in the map above. A
geospatial analysis firm named it the least compact district in the nation.
A. Identify the political phenomena represented on this map.

B. Explain the relationship between redistricting and the United States
Census.
C. Identify and discuss TWO political consequences that could result
from redistricting.
Part A: (1 point total)
1. Gerrymandering
Also acceptable: packing, cracking, wasted-vote, excess-vote, stacked-vote.
Part B: (2 points total)
Redistricting and the census

(1 point for basic or partial explanation; 2 points for full explanation)
1. Proportional Representation: U.S. Constitution requires a census every 10 years to reset

proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
2. Allocating the number of seats: Census results are used to reapportion the number of seats
allocated to each state in the House of Representatives.
3. Redraw boundaries: Census results are used to examine demographic changes to redraw
district boundaries.
4. Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Census data is analyzed by state political parties
and political consultants using GIS programmed to determine the most advantageous house
district boundary alignments.
Part C: (4 points total)
Two consequences
(1 point for identification + 1 point for discussion) + (1 point for identification + 1 point for discussion)
1. Partisan Power: Redistricting by state governments often results in elections that

strengthen/weaken the power of a particular party. This creates party-safe districts and may
create/break congressional gridlock.
2. Lack of Social Cohesion/Sense of Community: Gerrymandered districts can be represented

by a congressperson who lives far from other district residents or is not of the same ethnic or
socioeconomic background as most district residents, resulting in greater tension or
disillusionment.
© 2015 The College Board.

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2015 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 1 (continued)
3. Advantage/Disadvantage to individual candidates: Redistricting plans designed to

protect or weaken the seats of incumbent candidates; weaken or improve the election possibility
for challengers. Candidates can become more politically extreme.
4. Advantage/Disadvantage for a voting bloc: Gerrymandered districts can strengthen the

political power of certain voting blocs. It can disenfranchise at-risk communities and citizens from
the political process. It links or divides areas of voters with similar characteristics (race/ethnicity,
socioeconomic, labor, religious, urban/suburban/rural, etc.).
5. Create or preserve minority-majority district: To create a district favoring an ethnic group,

or to accommodate surrounding minority-majority districts.
6. Lower voter participation: Confusion over the changing spatial patterns of districts, or the
elimination of candidates who were redistricted out; can discourage some voters from participating
in the political process.
7. Judicial challenges: States can be sued over the shape and contiguity of redistricting plans
once they are signed into state law. Courts can order district boundaries to be redrawn under
judicial supervision.
8. Preclearance: Prior to 2013, redistricting plans in some states had to be “precleared” by the
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) or a three-judge panel in DC, due to past federal discrimination
cases regarding violation of the Voting Rights Act. The U.S. Supreme Court ended this practice in
specific jurisdictions on June 25, 2013. DOJ and judges still have the power to preclear or intervene
in redistricting plans but rules are unclear (as of 9/25/2013).

©2015 The College Board.
2015 SCORING COMMENTARY
Question 1
Overview
Students were asked to (A) identify an important phenomenon (gerrymandering) that is both geographical
and political, (B) explain the relationship between redistricting and the U.S. Census, and (C) identify and
discuss political consequences that could result from redistricting. “Gerrymandering” is mentioned by name
in Part IV of the Course Outline. Likewise, “census data” is mentioned by name in Part I and, by extension, in
Part II, which calls attention to implications of various population distributions. Students, therefore, should
have been well prepared to provide a complete answer to this question. The best answers required some
degree of synthesis and would have drawn from three different parts of the course outline (Parts I, II, and IV).
By focusing on redistricting and gerrymandering, this question asked students to think critically about one of
the foundation stones of democracy as it is practiced in the United States.
Sample: 1A
Score: 7
The response earned full credit and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of gerrymandering and
the associated spatial relationships and connections of redistricting and politics. The response received 1
point in part A for identifying the phenomena represented on the map as gerrymandering. The response
received 2 points in part B for a full explanation of the relationship between the United States Census and
the redistricting process by indicating that the census plays a key role in where to draw the lines during
redistricting (B3). The response received 4 points in part C for correctly identifying and discussing two
political consequences resulting from redistricting. The response earned 2 political consequence points for
correctly identifying that redistricting could create a situation where it is nearly impossible for a political
party to lose seats and discussing that a specific district might be drawn in order to guarantee the vote of
one party (C1). The response earned 2 additional political consequence points in part C for correctly
identifying that redistricting can lead to voter frustration and discussing that if these voters feel ignored,
they may not vote in future elections (C6).
Sample: 1B
Score: 5
The response earned full credit in part A (1 point), full credit in part B (2 points), and partial credit in part C
(2 points). The response received 1 point in part A for identifying the phenomena represented on the map
as gerrymandering. The response received 2 points in part B for a full explanation of the relationship
between the United States Census and the redistricting process by indicating voting districts are based on
population and then altered as population changes over time (B3). The response earned 2 political
consequence points for correctly identifying that redistricting may dilute a certain political party and
discussing, in turn, that particular political party would win the election (C1). No additional points were
received in part C as the response did not provide an additional political consequence.
Sample: 1C
Score: 4
The response earned no credit in part A, full credit in part B (2 points), and full credit in part C (2 points).
The response received no credit in part A as gerrymandering was not identified. The response received 2
points in part B for a full explanation of the relationship between the United States Census and the
redistricting process by indicating voting districts were redrawn because the census revealed a shift or
change in the population (B3). The response earned 2 political consequence points for correctly identifying

2015 SCORING COMMENTARY
Question 1 (continued)
that redistricting could alter the outcome of elections and discussing this outcome could favor one
politician over another (C1). No additional points were received in part C as the response was insufficient.


AP Human Geography 2015 Scoring Guidelines: Part A: (1 Point Total)

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AP Human Geography 2015 Scoring Guidelines: Part A: (1 Point Total)

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AP® HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

2015 SCORING GUIDELINES

In the redistricting that occurred in 2012, voters in Maryland approved a

A. Identify the political phenomena represented on this map.

Part A: (1 point total)

Part B: (2 points total)

Redistricting and the census

1. Proportional Representation: U.S. Constitution requires a census every 10 years to reset

Part C: (4 points total)

1. Partisan Power: Redistricting by state governments often results in elections that

2. Lack of Social Cohesion/Sense of Community: Gerrymandered districts can be represented

© 2015 The College Board.

3. Advantage/Disadvantage to individual candidates: Redistricting plans designed to

4. Advantage/Disadvantage for a voting bloc: Gerrymandered districts can strengthen the

5. Create or preserve minority-majority district: To create a district favoring an ethnic group,

© 2015 The College Board.

© 2015 The College Board.

© 2015 The College Board.

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