What is meant by the term “gerrymandering”?

Gerrymandering is a process used by political parties to gain a political advantage in elections. It involves a process of re-drawing electoral district boundaries in a way that favors a particular political party. In North Carolina, gerrymandering is illegal and the legislature is required to draw electoral district boundaries that constitute fair and non-partisan representation. Gerrymandering is a result of "packing" and "cracking". Packing is the process of drawing electoral districts to concentrate the votes of a specific political party in one district to reduce the influence on other districts. Cracking is the process of spreading out the votes of a certain political party to minimize their voting power in one district. Together, these processes give the political party in control of redistricting a political advantage in the election. The term gerrymandering dates back to the early 1800s when Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry approved an electoral district that was shaped similarly to a salamander. This was criticized by the public and the term gerrymandering was coined to describe this tactic. Gerrymandering is a controversial practice and many states have laws in place to combat it. In North Carolina, the legislature is required to draw electoral district boundaries in a fair and non-partisan manner. As of 2020, gerrymandering has been ruled unconstitutional in certain parts of the state.

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What is meant by the term “gerrymandering”?

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