The Effects of Redistricting on Distributive Outcomes

While the effects of redistricting on electoral outcomes have extensively been studied, little is known about its impact on policy outcomes. This paper argues that redistricting changes the incentives of legislators to serve their constituencies. This possibility arises because congressional redistricting in the United States typically involves violations of political boundaries. Examining the flow of federal assistance to counties before and after the 2000s rounds of redistricting, we find that when political subdivisions are split into multiple congressional districts, they receive less federal assistance than they did before the split. The result is robust to different specifications and holds even when we take into account other factors that can have an impact on the amount of transfers, such as the effect of being represented by non-incumbent House members, the presence of split-party county “delegations,” and the distinction between electorally core and marginal areas.