In most states, the party in control of the legislature has the power to draw congressional and state legislative districts. Independent commissions are comprised of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans—often with independent chairpersons—charged with drawing district lines as fairly as possible. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of independent redistricting commissions.
Lawmakers are incentivized to draw districts that benefit their party by concentrating the opposing party’s voters in one district or diluting them among multiple districts. These practices make democracy less representative and reduce some voters’ say in election outcomes.
Although gerrymandering has existed for more than two centuries and is an activity in which both parties partake, it has become more commonplace and more precise in recent decades thanks to the advent of new scientific and mathematical tools. See more about indepenent redistricting commissions at: https://www.amacad.org/ourcommonpurpose/recommendation-1-4
Comments