What is gerrymandering?

Gerrymandering is the act of manipulating the boundaries of a voting district to benefit a particular political party. It is a process which is often used by state governments to skew the results of an election. In New Mexico, gerrymandering is illegal and is addressed in Section 1-22-16 of the New Mexico Election Code. Gerrymandering is typically used to favor the party in power, which draws the boundaries of the voting district. This practice can hurt the voting power of minority groups and can be damaging to democracy. It is also sometimes used to create safe-seats so that the party in power can keep control over a particular district. Gerrymandering has been used in New Mexico as well, though it is not legal. In 2017, one of New Mexico’s state districts was redrawn in a way that was seen as an illegal gerrymandering move. The New Mexico Supreme Court found that the state had unfairly drawn the district lines and ordered the district to be redrawn. Gerrymandering can be used in a way that is fair, but it is important to ensure that it doesn’t violate the voting rights of any individuals. In New Mexico, it is illegal to gerrymander and doing so could result in legal action.

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What is gerrymandering?

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