What is meant by the term “gerrymandering”?

Gerrymandering is a term used in relation to election law in Arkansas. It is a practice in which electoral boundaries are drawn in a way that gives one group of people an advantage over another group when it comes to voting. It is done by manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts so that one party or political group holds a majority in a given district. For example, an area that is historically Democrat-leaning might have its political boundaries redrawn to add Republican-leaning voters to the district, thus giving the Republican party an advantage in that area. Gerrymandering is controversial because it ignores the principle of "one person, one vote," and gives certain political parties or groups an unfair advantage when it comes to elections. It has become increasingly controversial as technology has allowed for more precision when it comes to manipulating political boundaries. This practice is often challenged in the courts, as it violates the standards of fairness when it comes to electoral representation. The Supreme Court has ruled that gerrymandering based on race is unconstitutional, but determining when gerrymandering based on political affiliation is unconstitutional is still a point of contention.

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