Gerrymander

Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing electoral district boundaries to benefit a particular political party, candidate, or group. The term originated in 1812 after Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry signed a redistricting plan whose convoluted shape was said to resemble a salamander.

There are several forms of gerrymandering. Partisan gerrymandering aims to improve the electoral prospects of a party, often by concentrating opponents’ voters in a few districts (packing) or dispersing them across many districts (cracking) to minimize their impact elsewhere. Racial gerrymandering involves manipulating district lines to dilute or concentrate the voting power of racial or ethnic groups, and is constrained by constitutional and statutory protections. Challengers and courts have debated various techniques and their compliance with equal protection and voting rights standards.

Effects of gerrymandering can include distorted representation, reduced electoral competitiveness, and increased incumbency protection. It may also alter the geographic alignment between votes cast and seats won, influence policy outcomes, and affect minority representation in some cases. Advocates argue it is a permissible political process, while critics view it as undermining the principle of equal representation.

Legal context in the United States has evolved through several landmark cases. Baker v. Carr established the principle of one person, one vote. Shaw v. Reno held that race-based redistricting is subject to strict scrutiny and can be challenged. In Rucho v. Common Cause (2019), the Supreme Court held that claims of partisan gerrymandering are nonjusticiable in federal court, leaving such disputes to state courts or the political process. Although racial gerrymandering remains a constitutional concern, the legality of partisan gerrymandering is largely determined by state law and politics.