Dial S for Senate

[bagelman]

After the Greatest War and other tumultuous happenings, the technocratic and corporatist North American Union reformed into a Democratic Republic. Modeled on the original United States, the lower house would be based on population. However, the Senate would be based on provincial borders and regions within provinces. In 1947 when first formed, 86 seats were drawn in the NAU.



1. Alabama
2. Alberta
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. Cascadia
6,7,8. California. One district in the south, the second in north central including the SF bay and Sacramento, and the third in the further north.
9. Colorado
10. Connecticut
11. Delaware
12. District of Columbia, AKA Washington City, the capital of the NAU. This seat was originally to be appointed by the national government, but this fell by the wayside fairly quickly in favor of the city residences, who did not receive fair apportionment in the lower house.
13. Florida
14. Georgia
15. Idaho
16,17,18,19. Illinois. Northeast, North, Central South, and South. The district borders would soon be changed, so that St. Louis's Metro East was in the further south district.
20,21. Indiana, divided into northern and southern districts.
22,23,24. Iowa, divided into east-central-west thirds.
25,26. Kansas, divided into north-south halves. This may have been to prevent a division between east and west in Kansas.
27. Kentucky
28. Lousiana
29. Maine
30. Manitoba
31. Maryland
32,33. Massachusetts, officially divided into east and west. The east portion was essentially just Boston, and the "west" the rest of the state. Thus it was more inner and outer.
34,35,36. Michigan, divided into 3 districts. The first was southeastern, around Detroit. The second was northeastern, while the third was the west including the UP.
37,38. Minnesota, divided into unequal halves. The second half was the twin cities and the southeast, the first the rest.
39. Mississippi
40,41. Missouri, divided into east and west halves.
42. Montana
43. Nebraska
44. Nevada
45. New Hampshire
46. New Jersey
47. New Mexico
48,49,50,51,52. New York. Of the 5 Senatorial districts in New York, 3 were upstate (east/central/west) and 2 downstate (one for the city, one for the rest of long island and other parts of the south).
53. North Carolina
54. North Dakota
55. "The Maritimes" of NS, PEI, and NB in the far northeast of the country. This is the only case of multiple provinces sharing a single seat.
56,57,58,59. Ohio, divided into fairly neat quadrants.
60. Oklahoma
61,62. Ontario. Divided between the more populated south, including the Golden Horseshoe and Toronto, and the rest of the province.
63. Oregon
64,65,66,67. Pennsylvania. Southeast, Southwest, Central East, Central West
68,69: Quebec, divided between east and west.
70: Rhode Island
71. Saskatchewan
72. South Carolina
73. South Dakota
74. Tennessee
75,76,77,78. Texas. Roughly divided into quadrants like Ohio, however they were slightly less even to account for higher eastern population. The NW quadrant was the largest.
79. Utah
80. Vermont
81. Virginia
82. Washington
83. West Virginia
84,85. Wisconsin, divided into NW and SE halves.
86. Wyoming

As you can see, there were originally no multi-member senatorial districts.

[bagelman]

I'm really not sure if this was the greatest thread idea ever, but whatever. I'll do state by state rather than try and make a timeline based off area codes.

The idea has already been stated, but the senatorial districts (which don't consider population equality or anything like the VRA) are dominant. Something went wrong with the lower house, gerrymandering by both sides and power conflicts became a dealbreaker and the power of the Senate increased in relation.

Alabama: Alabama kept a single senator from 1947-1995. In 1995, a second district was created in the south, and the old at large district became the northern AL-1.

In 1998, AL-3 was split off from the remaining AL-1 in the northeast, followed by AL-4 splitting from AL-2 in 2001. Finally in 2010 AL-3 became the first multi-member district, as it elects 2 senators instead of just one. In 2019 AL-1 was also given a second senator.

https://davesredistricting.org/join/3d223521-aa24-4503-8df0-c04d25b39d76

As of 2019 the districts are AL-1A, AL-1B, AL-2, AL-3A, AL-3B, AL-4.

Obsolete districts: AL-AL inherited by AL-1, AL-1 inherited by AL-1A, AL-3 inherited by AL-3A.

Now, the problem with this map is obvious. The equivalent of the VRA was struck down by the SCOTUS equivalent in this world, to the bane of minority rights activists nationwide. The Senate is not supposed to consider racial composition when drawing districts, and the arbitrary father-knows best technocratic attitude of the old government still lingers in many corners of the post-1947 state.

With OTL party compositions, all seats are Safe R. Parties are of course different in this world, best I can say is that a Doug Jones style moderate and known enemy of hate groups defeated a far right winger in the 2nd district.

[bagelman]

Alberta

From 1947-1997, Alberta shared a single member district with the arctic regions of Yukon and Far North West Territory. The areas outside of Alberta were united alonside Nunavut into a single senatorial district, leaving Alberta alone.

In 1999, the province was split into two districts, as the northern two thirds (Edmonton) split from the south (Calgary).

In 2008, the at-large district was revived, coexisting with the two seperate district. Alberta elected 3 senators total, one from the whole province and two from different halves. In 2016, the at-large district became a two member district, and controversially it will become a 3 member district in 2021.

One of the reasons Alberta has so many senators may be due to it's importance to the NAU's physical resources in the production of oil shale.

Current districts: AB-AL-B, AB-AL-C, AB-1 (south), AB-2 (north).

Future districts: AB-AL-D

Obsolete districts: AA-AL (Alberta-Arctic At-Large, inherited by AB-AL(-A)), AB-AL-A (retroactive designation for the at-large district that existed from 1997-99, inherited by AB-1.)

[bagelman]

Alaska

Alaska was admitted to the NAU as a full province in 1957 and given a single senator. It retains a single senator.

The small village of Hyder on the southeast panhandle, although part of the Province of Alaska, is excluded from Alaska's senatorial district. It votes in Cascadian elections, which I'll cover later.

[bagelman]

Arizona

Arizona retained a single member at large district until 1995. That year, the state split on an Inner and Outer basis, with the Outer region given a new senatorial district.

In 1999, the Inner district was divided into thirds, and in 2001 the Outer district was divided in half. There are now 5 senators from Arizona.

Districts: AZ-1: Once covering all of Maricopa, now refers to most of Phoenix City.

AZ-2: Once all of Outer Arizona, now just Southern Arizona/Tucson Metro.

AZ-3: East Maricopa. Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe.

AZ-4: West Maricopa. Glendale largest city.

AZ-5: North and West Arizona.

Obsolete District: AZ-AL, inherited by AZ-1.

[bagelman]

Arkansas

In the Great Expansion of 1997, Arkansas was divided into inner and outer regions, with the outer region given a new senatorial district. In 2002, the northwest was split of from the outer district, there are now 3 senators from Arkansas.

A bill has been passed that will make the remaining Outer district a multi-member district in 2023.

Current districts:

AR-1: Little Rock and Central Arkansas

AR-2: Outer South/East Arkansas

AR-3: Northwest Arkansas

https://davesredistricting.org/join/8fa655e1-ccbe-4849-9f3a-6963e770fdbb

AR-AL is an obsolete district inherited by AR-1, and AR-2 will soon be broken into AR-2A and AR-2B in 2023.

[bagelman]

Colorado:

Colorado retained a single senator from 1947-1988, when the second senatorial district was finally added in the southeastern cities of Colorado Springs and Pueblo. In 1995 the north, northwest, and western parts of the state were split off into a third senatorial district. Finally in 1998 the remaining central district was given a second senator, giving Colorado 4 senators.

Both Senators from the 1st district have spoken in favor of adding a third to their number (CO-1C), however a bill for this has not been passed as of yet.

If OTL parties are applied, Republicans would be focused on defending the third district rather than attempt to flip either of the first district seats, while having a safe enough hold on the second district. Because of how toxic OTL partisanship has become, Republicans would oppose a third member of the first district.

The district map is approximate.

Current districts:

CO-1A, CO-1B, CO-2, CO-3

Obsolete districts: CO-AL, inherited by CO-1, which is inherited by CO-1A

[bagelman]

Space reserved for California, which requires a lot of work

[bagelman]

Cascadia (OTL British Columbia)

Cascadia retained a single senator from 1947-1996. In that year, CS-AL became CS-1 and was applied to the Vancouver metro, and CS-2 was created to apply to the rest of the province along with the village of Hyder AK.

In 2001, CS-1 became a multi-member district, meaning that the lower mainland region of the province had one more senator than the remainder. The districts were CS-1A, CS-1B, and CS-2. However in 2007 this was changed to appease rural interests. CS-1 reverted to a single member district, and instead Cascadia's third senator would be elected provincewide as the restoration of the at large district overlayed on the two separate districts. This at-large district was given a second senator in 2013, and a third in 2019. CS-2 at the at-large 3 member district also represent the village of Hyder AK.

Current districts: CS-1, CS-2, CS-AL-A, CS-AL-B, CS-AL-C.

Former districts: CS-AL, CS-1A, CS-1B.

[bagelman]

Connecticut

https://davesredistricting.org/join/bdcc6303-9aa0-428f-aa33-bc1851c837e2

From 1947 to 1995, this province was represented by a single senator. That year, the state was divided into two districts, as shown on the DRA link above.

In late 2009, CT-1 received a second senator, and CT-2 was given the same in 2014. There are 4 senators sharing 2 districts.

Districts: CT-1A, CT-1B, CT-2A, CT-2B.

Former districts: CT-AL, CT-1, CT-2.

[bagelman]

Delaware: Delaware has maintained a single at large senatorial district since 1947.

Washington DC: DC maintained a single senator from 1947-2021. The city's senator was originally supposed to be a representative of the government itself, however this fell by the wayside in favor of city residents. In 2021, the city received a second senator.

[bagelman]

Florida:

https://davesredistricting.org/join/c16fa021-8548-4958-964a-13c1a3872e1d

Florida has 19 senators, and will receive a 20th in 2022. Originally given an at-large district in 1947, FL-2 was created dividing the state between east and west, and the north was given FL-3 in 1953. The state now has 15 distinct districts, in which 3 currently have two senators, one will soon receive a second senator, and one has three senators.

*FL-01: Miami-Dade County and the Keys. This is the direct successor of the old at-large district. In 1998 this district received a second senator, now FL-01-A and FL-01-B.
*FL-02: Hillsborough County and some smaller nearby areas. Will receive a second senator in 2022.
*FL-03: The northeast part of the state, centered on Jacksonville.
*FL-04: The Orlando metro. This district alone has a second senator as of 2019.
*FL-05: Broward County. This district was created in 1995, and received a second senator in 2002.
*FL-06: Northwest peninsular region. Gainesville and Ocala are both inland cities in this district, created in 1996.
*FL-07: 3 counties on the west coast south of Tampa Bay. Includes Bradenton, Sarasota, and Port Charlotte. Created in 1996
*FL-08: Palm Beach County. Created in 1996. The incumbent supports a new senator from their district by 2023.
*FL-09: The Panhandle. Created in 1997, received a second senator in 2019.
*FL-10: The coastal portion of the Tampa Bay region. Created in 1998.
*FL-11: This district includes all of FL-04 but also Brevard County. This means Brevard county is represented by 1 senator, which is also one of the 3 senators representing the same area as FL-04.
*FL-12: 7 landlocked counties in central Florida, the majority of this districts population live in Polk County, home of Lakeland and Winter Haven.
*FL-13: As a result of political finagling, this district is non-continuous. The majority of the population lives in the southeast coastal segment which includes Daytona Beach, while others live in between FL-03 and FL-09.
*FL-14: The "Treasure Coast" of Florida.
*FL-15: Southwest Florida, Naples as the most notable city.

[bagelman]

Georgia

Georgia has 9 senators in 7 districts, one of which overlays two other districts.

https://davesredistricting.org/join/7df1fd18-0bac-4ab1-a6ae-8a21df3ee039

GA-1: Atlanta. Originally all of northern Georgia.
GA-2: Southeast Georgia. Originally all of southern Georgia.
GA-3: Northern Georgia not of Atlanta. Includes a noncontinuous section southeast of Atlanta, which includes Columbus. This is because it originally included much of what is now the 4th. Is a multi-member district with 2 senators.
GA-4: Metro Atlanta.
GA-5: Overlays both GA-1 and GA-4. Is a multi-member district with 2 senators.
GA-6: Southwest Georgia
GA-7: Central Georgia.