How U.S. Politicians Pick their Voters

"Gerrymandering happens when state legislators redraw congressional or state legislative districts to benefit their party."

The United States claims to be a democracy, apparently without irony. I say that because increasingly, politicians select the voters, not the other way round.

How can I justify such a statement? Well, consider the intriguingly named process of 'Gerrymandering'—the deliberate manipulation of district boundaries to favour one political party over another. This practice, used by both Democrats and Republicans, distorts voter influence and undermines the principle of 'one person, one vote.'  

The term originates from an 1812 district in Massachusetts that was shaped like a salamander and agreed by Governor Elbridge Gerry—hence "Gerry-mander."

Gerrymandering happens when state legislators redraw congressional or state legislative districts to benefit their party. This process can mainly work in two ways:  

• Packing – Concentrating the opposing party's voters into a few districts to limit their influence elsewhere.  
• Cracking – Splitting the opposing party's voters across multiple districts to dilute their power.  

After each Census (every 10 years), states redraw district lines. In most states, the legislature controls this process, allowing the majority party to skew maps in their favour.  

For example, in 2010, Republicans launched the 'Redmap' project, a strategic initiative that targeted state legislatures to secure control of redistricting. This move enabled them to establish majorities in states such as Wisconsin, Ohio, and North Carolina, even when Democrats received a greater share of votes nationwide.

​The 'Redmap' project involved significant financial investment and a comprehensive plan to influence state-level elections, thereby gaining control over the redistricting process.  

While the Voting Rights Act (1965) requires minority representation, some states have manipulated districts with large minority populations—either packing Black or Hispanic voters into a single district (reducing their influence elsewhere) or splitting them to weaken their voting power.  

In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that North Carolina's GOP-drawn maps constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. This decision was a significant step in addressing gerrymandering, as it set a precedent for challenging and overturning unfair district maps. However, the effectiveness of such legal interventions depends on the court's willingness to hear and rule on gerrymandering cases.  

The internet and modern software have intensified gerrymandering. Political parties can now pinpoint voters at specific residences, allowing them to redraw boundaries to maximise their votes.

Thus, in 2011, the Democrats redrew Maryland's 6th District to flip from Republican to Democratic by including more liberal areas near Washington, D.C.  

And what are the consequences of gerrymandering? In simple terms, election manipulation is taking place. Safe districts discourage moderate candidates, pushing politics to extremes. As a result, this gives disproportionate power, allowing a party to win far more seats than their share of the vote justifies. In 2018, Wisconsin Republicans won 63% of state assembly seats with only 45% of the vote.  

And all of this leads to voter disenfranchisement. Why bother voting when you know the system is rigged and your ballots don't count? 

There has been some opposition to gerrymandering: states like California and Arizona employ nonpartisan panels to create more equitable maps. Meanwhile, lawsuits have overturned extreme gerrymanders in states such as Pennsylvania and Florida.  

In 2021, the 'For the People Act' (2021) was introduced, which included anti-gerrymandering measures. This comprehensive piece of legislation aimed to address various issues related to voting rights and electoral integrity, including gerrymandering. However, the act stalled in Congress, as politicians didn't want changes.  

All this has garnered attention because President Trump is urging Texas Republicans to redraw boundaries to secure five additional congressional seats. He probably fears the Democrats might regain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. From that position, they could initiate another impeachment attempt against him. Therefore, Trump is using every possible means to keep Congress in his favour. Isn't that quite unfair?

The problem is that gerrymandering weakens democracy. These practices and the influence of large financial donors mean that, at best, U.S. democracy is compromised. Remember this the next time you hear a U.S. politician lecturing about how their system is the best. 

POST SCRIPT

California Governor Gavin Newsom is planning to enact legislation that will redraw the states districts if Texas creates five new seats. He aims to nolify the realignment in Texas. This is starting to look like a banana republic.