Carry the Two

Mathematics & Representation

Oct 2, 2024

Ismar Volić, a mathematics professor and director of the Institute for Mathematics and Democracy, teams up with Theodore R. Johnson, a scholar of Black electoral politics and Washington Post columnist. They delve into how math shapes apportionment in the U.S. Congress and the historical rivalry between Jefferson and Hamilton over rounding methods. The duo discusses the flaws of the Electoral College, potential reforms for fairer voting, and how statistical techniques could enhance democratic representation. Brace for a blend of humor, history, and enlightening insights!

34:22

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Episode guests

Theodore R. Johnson

Ismar Volić

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The significant increase in the ratio of representatives to constituents in the U.S. raises concerns about effective democratic representation.

The mathematical complexity behind apportionment methods reveals systemic issues like misrepresentation and highlights the need for electoral reform.

Deep dives

Historical Context of Apportionment in the U.S.

Apportionment was a significant topic during the Constitutional Convention, where the founding fathers debated how many constituents each representative should have. James Madison suggested a ratio of approximately 30,000 people per representative, acknowledging the need for adjustment as the population grew. However, today's ratio has drastically increased to about 760,000 people per representative, raising concerns about the feasibility of effective representation. This gap in representation is exacerbated by the influence of special interests and lobbyists, indicating a disconnect between elected officials and the citizens they represent.

Intro

2min

Rethinking Representation: Apportionment Challenges

7min

Founding Fathers and Rounding Methods

5min

Political Influences in Mathematical Decision-Making

2min

Imperfect Apportionment and Historical Voting Rights

3min

Rethinking the Electoral College

12min

Mathematics as a Tool for Enhancing Democracy

4min

We in the United States are deep in the middle of a major national election, and over half of the world’s population also have elections in 2024. This is why Carry the Two is going to focus on the intersection of mathematics and democracy for our new season.

In this episode, the second episode of our mathematics and democracy season, we speak again with mathematician Ismar Volić of Wellesley College and Director of the Institute for Mathematics and Democracy and Theodore R. Johnson, a scholar of Black electoral politics, a military veteran, and a contributing columnist at The Washington Post. We dig into what mathematics has to say about how the USA apportions members of the House of Representatives to states, learn how a fight between Jefferson and Hamilton over rounding led to the first presidential veto, and discuss different techniques for reforming the Electoral College.

Find our transcript here: Google Doc or .txt file

Curious to learn more? Check out these additional links:

Ismar Volić

Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation

Institute for Mathematics and Democracy

Theodore R. Johnson

A Failing Grade for the Electoral College

Follow more of IMSI’s work: www.IMSI.institute, (twitter) @IMSI_institute, (mastodon) https://sciencemastodon.com/@IMSI, (instagram) IMSI.institute

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

The Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation (IMSI) is funded by NSF grant DMS-1929348