#Gerrymandering for good or ill
Gerrymandering - the term was first used in reference to the Massachusetts State Senate election districts in 1812 - increases the power of a specific party or constituency by drawing electoral district boundaries in otherwise illogical and sometimes very amusingly shaped paths. Incumbent’s districts are packed with voters likely to favor them. Problem constituencies are spread among many districts to weaken their influence, or pulled together into a single district to minimize their influence on the remaining districts.
Gerrymandering has negative historical connotations, but it is also used for good. Costal areas gerrymandered into one district ensure residents have a voice in policies affecting ports where they would otherwise be drowned out by inland interests. Gerrymandering is used to create majority-minority districts, giving greater influence to racial minorities or other minorities whose vote would normally be overpowered by the majority. Majority-minority districts also encourage the election of minorities to office, and increase minority voter turnout.
The U.S. House of Representatives’ districts are regularly pointed to as examples of gerrymandering - an accusation bandied about especially when the governor of a state is of one party, the slender majority of its’ representatives belong to the other party, and new district boundaries are likely to tip the scales in favor of the governor’s party.
This is part 2 of an application for LivingSocial and Jumpstart Lab‘s Hungry Academy.
Are You Hungry?
What an amazing gist.