Pushing Boundaries:Political Redistricting & Consumer Credit

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY
Finance Discipline Group 
Research Seminars in Finance
 
Topic: Pushing Boundaries: Political Redistricting and Consumer Credit
 
Speaker: Pat Akey, University of Toronto
 
Abstract:      
Consumers lose access to credit when their congressional district boundaries are irregularly redrawn to benefit a political party (i.e., are gerrymandered). We identify this effect by matching a longitudinal panel of consumer credit data with changes in congressional district boundaries following decennial censuses. Reductions in credit access are concentrated in states that allow elected politicians to draw political boundaries and in districts where subsequent congressional elections are less competitive. We find similar reductions in credit access when state senate district boundaries are irregularly redrawn and when states make it more difficult for constituents to vote. Overall, our findings are consistent with theories suggesting that less-competitive political races reduce politicians’ incentives to cater to their constituents’ preferences.
 
A light lunch will be provided at 1p.m. Please RSVP for catering purposes to Mala Kapahi by 12 noon on Monday, 21st May 2018.
 
Date: Wednesday, 23rd May 2018     
Time: 12.00 – 1.00 p.m.
Venue: University of Technology, Sydney
             Building 8, Room 8.002, Dr Chau Chak Wing Building
             Dr Chau Chak Wing Building
            14 - 28 Ultimo Road, Ultimo
 
Co-ordinator: Kris Glover  (Ph: +61 2 9514 7778)
 
Enquiries: Mala Kapahi (Ph: +61 2 9514 7777
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Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.