Gerrymandering and The Dangers It Provides When It Comes to Voting and Presidential Elections

Introduction to Gerrymandering

The practice of Gerrymandering has been around as long as the United States Constitution has. “Gerrymandering” comes from the name of former Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry. His last name is the beginning part of the term because, in 1811, he signed a bill that gave an unfair representation and advantage to the Democratic Party over the Republicans. One of the districts looked like it was shaped like a salamander, so that’s how they got the 'mander' part. Additionally, the finishing touch was when Elkanah Tisdale’s cartoon appeared in the Boston Gazette; it graphically transformed the districts into an animal, which finally gave birth to the term “The Gerry-mander” (Engstrom, 2013).

Understanding Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering can simply be described as drawing the boundaries of electoral districts with the main objective of determining the outcome of elections. Congressional districts are gerrymandered usually in two ways. The first method involves drawing districts in a way that packs voters of one kind into a single district, which essentially helps stop them from influencing other districts. The second method, usually referred to as “cracking,” is achieved by diluting all the same voters. You spread them out into as many districts as possible to prevent them from gaining sufficient influence in any one district (McGann et al., 2016).

Gerrymandering and The Dangers It Provides When It Comes to Voting and Presidential Elections

Gerrymandering has been used to both help and hinder minority voters. “Several states implemented gerrymanders to create majority-minority districts, thereby empowering minority voting blocs in the electoral process” (Stephanopoulos & McGhee, 2015). There have been congressional majorities in Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Texas gerrymander the competitiveness of their districts away, and states such as New Jersey, California, and New York redraw their districts to protect their necessary seats. “President Ronald Reagan once called for ‘an end to the antidemocratic and un-American practice of gerrymandering congressional districts,’ characterizing the issue as ‘a national scandal’” (Reagan, 1987). President Obama once stated, “politicians picking their voters, and not the other way around” (Obama, 2016). Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich remarked on the issue, “I think it’s wrong,” and “I think it leads to bad government” (Gingrich, 2010).

The Constitutional Debate

Gerrymandering could potentially be seen as being in violation of the United States Constitution. It has already been recognized several times by state and federal courts, but not with the unanimity required to systematically outlaw the practice of gerrymandering. Gerrymandering has been viewed as dangerous because it violates two basic tenets of electoral apportionment: compactness and equality of size of constituencies. “A U.S. Supreme Court ruling of 1964 stated that districts should be drawn to reflect substantial equality of population” (Reynolds v. Sims, 1964). The ongoing debate highlights how deeply embedded this practice is in the political system, calling for reforms that ensure fair representation.

Ongoing Challenges and the Path Forward

However, the majority parties in certain state legislatures continue to set district boundaries along partisan lines without regard for local boundaries or even contiguity. Some people choose to defend gerrymandering because they see it as the only way of securing any representation for minority groups. Others argue that violating local boundaries in drawing districts is preferable to denying a politically cohesive group any voice in state government and harms the equality of citizens. While some claim that the practice helps America, in reality, gerrymandering greatly affects society, and must become illegal to truly ensure fair and honest representation (Cain, 1984). A fair electoral process is vital for a functioning democracy, and addressing gerrymandering is a crucial step toward achieving this goal.

References:

• Cain, B. E. (1984). The Reapportionment Puzzle. University of California Press.
• Engstrom, E. J. (2013). Partisan Gerrymandering and the Construction of American Democracy. University of Michigan Press.
• Gingrich, N. (2010). Comments on Gerrymandering. Retrieved from [insert source here].
• McGann, A. J., Smith, C. A., Latner, M., & Keena, A. (2016). Gerrymandering in America: The House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and the Future of Popular Sovereignty. Cambridge University Press.
• Obama, B. (2016). Remarks on Gerrymandering. Retrieved from [insert source here].
• Reagan, R. (1987). Remarks on Gerrymandering. Retrieved from [insert source here].
• Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964).
• Stephanopoulos, N. O., & McGhee, E. M. (2015). Partisan Gerrymandering and the Efficiency Gap. University of Chicago Law Review, 82(2), 831-900.