District versus at-large voting: Why district voting results in worse policy for minorities

Abstract

By making use of voting-rights acts, minorities have forced cities to convert from at-large elections to district elections when there is racially polarized voting and the minority percentage on the city council is significantly below the percentage of the minority population. The voting-rights acts also provide for the creation of majority/minority districts so that minorities are more likely to be elected to city councils. This article undertakes a detailed theoretical analysis of both district and at-large elections and shows that minorities are likely to be better off when there are at-large elections. In at-large voting systems, winning council candidates represent the median over all voters. In contrast, when there are district elections, each council member represents the interests of the median voter in their district. City council policy is then determined by the median council member, whose district represents few if any minorities. Various complications, such as non-voting, are considered with surprising results.