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Redistricting is the process of drawing electoral district boundaries. It occurs regularly to reflect population changes and ensure fair representation. Gerrymandering is the manipulation of these boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.
How Redistricting Works
After each census, which occurs every ten years, states review their district boundaries. The goal is to create districts with roughly equal populations. This process involves state legislatures, independent commissions, or other bodies depending on the state.
Redistricting aims to ensure each representative represents a similar number of constituents. It considers geographic, community, and demographic factors to create logical districts. The process can be contentious, especially when political interests influence boundary decisions.
What is Gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering occurs when district boundaries are intentionally manipulated to benefit a specific political party or group. It can distort electoral outcomes and reduce competitiveness in elections.
There are two main types of gerrymandering:
- Cracking: Dividing a group of voters to dilute their voting power.
- Packing: Concentrating voters of the opposing party into a few districts to minimize their influence elsewhere.
- Hijacking: Redrawing districts to force two incumbents to compete against each other.
- Kidnapping: Moving an incumbent’s district to make re-election difficult.
Impacts of Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering can lead to less competitive elections, reduced voter influence, and skewed representation. It often results in legislative bodies that do not accurately reflect the political preferences of the population. This can diminish public trust in the electoral process.