Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing electoral district boundaries to give one party or group an unfair advantage. It's one of the most important — and least understood — forces shaping American elections. Here's how it works and what you can do about it.
After each decennial US Census, congressional and state legislative district boundaries are redrawn to reflect population changes. The Constitution requires that congressional districts have roughly equal populations. This process is called redistricting.
In most states, the state legislature draws the maps, often with the governor's approval. This gives the party in power significant control over district shapes. Some states use independent or bipartisan commissions instead. The last round of redistricting followed the 2020 Census.
Concentrating voters of one party into a small number of districts so they win those seats by huge margins but are diluted everywhere else. The packed party "wastes" votes on landslide victories.
Splitting a group of voters across multiple districts so they don't have a majority anywhere. This is the opposite of packing — it dilutes a group's voting power by spreading them thin.
Partisan gerrymandering draws lines to benefit one political party. Racial gerrymandering draws lines based on race. The Supreme Court ruled in Rucho v. Common Cause (2019) that federal courts cannot adjudicate partisan gerrymandering claims, though some state courts still can under their state constitutions. Racial gerrymandering, however, remains subject to federal court review under the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause.
Gerrymandering can make elections less competitive. When districts are drawn to heavily favor one party, the general election becomes a foregone conclusion, and the primary election (with its lower turnout) effectively decides who wins. This can reduce voter engagement and make elected officials less responsive to the full range of their constituents.
It can also create a gap between the statewide popular vote and the distribution of seats. A party that wins a minority of votes statewide can sometimes win a majority of seats due to how district lines are drawn.
Contact your state legislators about redistricting reform.
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