Gerrymandering
- Karen McGinnis
- Jun 14, 2022
- 3 min read
Gerrymandering
It sounds like an episode from Seinfeld! Is it the one where Jerry and Elaine are interacting with the Soup Nazi?
Actually, gerrymandering is much more complicated and threatening!
Gerrymandering is the purposeful manipulating of boundaries of districts to favor one party or another. It is a practice dating back to 1812 in Massachusetts. The purpose was to give control over state legislatures by manipulating who the legislators would be. It also affects members of the House of Representative on the Federal level. It is clear that gerrymandering could have an effect on the representation for the citizens of those areas.
Typically, the motivation for gerrymandering in the US has been based on partisan rational. The party in power seeks to remain in power and uses this as a tool to influence the outcome of elections. Racial gerrymandering has been documented to also happen. Using this as motivation can strongly influence representation and ultimately, civil rights of ethnic groups. Gerrymandering based on ethnic makeup is unconstitutional!
By law and custom, redistricting is to take place every ten years and be based on the census that is held every ten years. This was intended to create representational government. We remember that COVID hit its peak in 2020, a census year, and that the census was halted by the administration prior to completion. The count was incomplete. Who that incomplete count favored is a topic of speculation and inquiry.
Looking at the 2000-2010 census and the redistricting that followed it, a condition was created called “wasted votes.” This is defined as districts so heavily weighted as a result of gerrymandering that whole areas have no influence in the outcome of the vote for that area. Votes for the area were therefore not representational of the citizens within that area. That creates a situation similar to one of the original “taxation without representation” challenges that led to the Revolutionary War. Ignoring the effects of gerrymander and district manipulation can only be detrimental to a democratic system. This is a strong reason why all citizens should be interested in the redistricting and gerrymandering process.
Another reason why gerrymandering, and the current method of redistricting are a threat to democracy is that they are a threat to the existence of competitive elections. Heavily weighting or “packing” a district and resulting legislative seat with partisan votes has a negative effect on the election. It may not express the choice of the people between candidates. It may discourage an otherwise interested and qualified candidate from running for the office. Legislation passed by an intentionally chosen candidate due to gerrymandering then applies to all the citizens of the district. Again, not democratic, not representational.
How do we positively address the effects of partisan or racial gerrymandering and return the concept of “one man, (or woman), one vote” to reality, and return that concept of democracy. California, Arizona, Michigan have all promoted anti-gerrymandering legislation by the creation of non-partisan, not ethnically weighted, commissions, that work on the ten year redistricting issues. In addition to that, there is a trend toward voter-drawn redistricting. Again, the census needs to be in play with this effort.
At the Federal level, there are also inequities that need to be addressed. States with low populations and states with large populations need to have their representation in balance with their population. Some territories have little to no legislative influence, despite their population numbers, or their needs.
Gerrymandering is a powerful tool, for good or for ill. A democracy is a “we, the people” situation that we are all a part of. There are systems in place to effect change. We can BE the change we want to see by using these systems to effect change!
Leave Jerry and Elaine out of it!
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Further reading and investigation:
https://www.americanprogress.org
and hundreds of other sites that address this issue.
Comments and suggestions: karenmac1999@hotmail.com
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