Michigan's 2nd congressional district

Michigan's 2nd congressional district
Michigan's 2nd congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
Current Representative		Bill Huizenga (R–Zeeland)
Population (2010)	705,975
Ethnicity	81.1% White, 6.1% Black, 2.0% Asian, 8.4% Hispanic, 0.5% Native American
Cook PVI	R+7

Michigan's 2nd congressional district is a United States Congressional district in Western Michigan. From 2003 to 2013 It consisted of the counties of Benzie, Manistee, Wexford, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Muskegon, Ottawa, and the northern portion of Allegan and the northwest portion of Kent. The borders were altered slightly for redistricting in 2012.

The 2nd district has the largest concentration of Dutch-Americans of any congressional district in the country.^[1] The district has a Cook PVI of R+7, making it the most Republican district in the state of Michigan. John McCain won the district in 2008 with 51% of the vote, his best performance in any of Michigan's 15 congressional districts.^[2] Rep. Hoekstra announced he would not seek re-election to Congress in 2010. Republican Bill Huizenga replaced Hoekstra after winning the 2010 General Election.

Major cities

• Allendale
• Cadillac
• Fremont
• Grand Haven
• Holland
• Hudsonville
• Jenison
• Ludington
• Manistee
• Muskegon
• Muskegon Heights
• Norton Shores
• Spring Lake
• Zeeland

Voting

History

The 2nd congressional district today is largely the same as it was created in 1992. There have been some changes, but it still covers in general the same area.

Prior to the 1992 redistricting the 2nd congressional district was not at all overlapping with the current 2nd congressional district. It covered the northern half to two thirds of Livonia, Northville Township, the Wayne County portion of the city of Northville, Plymouth and Plymouth Township all in Wayne County. It also covered most of Washtenaw County, Michigan but not Ypsilanti, Michigan. The only county entirely in the district was Hillsdale County. Most of Jackson county was in the district, but the some of that county's northern tier townships were in Michigan's 6th congressional district. About half of Lenawee County was in the district, and the far north-east portion of Branch county was also in the district.

List of representatives

Historical district boundaries

1993 - 2003

2003 - 2013

See also

• Michigan's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts

Notes

1. ^ http://hoekstra.house.gov/District/
2. ^ http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/4161/presidential-results-by-congressional-district-20002008
3. ^ ^{a b} Edward Bradley was elected November 3, 1846, but died August 5, 1847 in New York City, while en route to Washington, D.C. to take office; Charles E. Stuart was elected November 2, 1847, to fill the vacancy.
4. ^ William Sprague was elected on a Free Soil Party ticket and was seated with the Whigs in Congress.
5. ^ Nathaniel B. Eldredge was elected on a Democratic and Union ticket in 1884 to the 49th Congress.
6. ^ : In the election of November 7, 1916, official returns showed Mark R. Bacon had won by 49 votes. Although there was no provision in state law at that time for recounting ballots in the election of federal officials, a separate examination of votes in Jackson County revealed that Samuel W. Beakes was entitled to 87 more votes. However, the board of state canvassers and the Michigan Supreme Court refused to allow a recount. Finally, the U.S. House Committee on Elections decided to conduct a recount, which gave Beakes the victory by 132 votes. The committee unanimously reported resolutions to the full House stating that Bacon had not been elected to the seat and was not entitled to it, and that, in fact, Beakes was the elected representative of the district. The House seated Beakes on December 13, 1917.

References

• Govtrack.us for the 2nd District - Lists current Senators and representative, and map showing district outline
• The Political graveyard: U.S. Representatives from Michigan, 1807-2003
• U.S. Representatives 1837-2003, Michigan Manual 2003-2004
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present