For the idealistic, ‘elections’ mean voters choose their governmental representatives, but in reality, fair elections often fall prey to gerrymanders. These are the oddly-shaped congressional districts drawn around voting populations to ensure those seats stay in the hands of one political party. Instead of voters picking their politicians, gerrymanders allow politicians to pick their voters. This dilutes the will of the people, prevents good ideas from getting traction, and locks in corruption and stasis. With the 2020 census data coming in and redistricting for the next decade about to take place, we thought it would be an ideal time to examine gerrymandering around the country. And BEWARE! Gerrymandering is about to play a very loud role in our politics here in Oregon…
What is Gerrymandering?
Political scientists can build careers studying ‘gerrymandering’, but no one needs a political science degree to understand the basics. Gerrymandering is drawing political district maps to favor a particular party instead of reflecting a cross-section of citizens. We’ve given a couple links and examples, but that first link to the Washington Post article really IS the best explanation out there.
This is the best explanation of gerrymandering you will ever see, Christopher Ingraham in Washington Post, Mar 2015 (or try Gerrymandering explained, (video 2:41) The Washington Post, Nov 2017)
Gerrymandering Key Facts– FairVote.org
Gerrymandering Examples to Explain It in Simple Terms, YourDictionary.com
The 12 worst House districts: Experts label gerrymandering’s dirty dozen, David Meyers on The Fulcrum, Nov 2019
What Is Extreme Gerrymandering? Michael Li and Annie Lo at the Brennan Center for Justice, Mar 2019
Here’s how the Census determines control of the US government, Zachary B. Wolf on CNN, Apr 2021
(More videos for the Cool Kids)
Gerrymandering: (video 19:33)) Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO), Apr 2017
Gerrymandering (video 5:59) Khan Academy- Good explanation using Travis County in Texas as a case study
What’s The Effect?
It’s logical that building a system that independent of the will of the People would create distortions, and it does. Here are just a few of the effects…
The Impact of Partisan Gerrymandering, Alex Tausanovitch at Center for American Progress, Oct 2019
How Partisan Gerrymandering Limits Voting Rights, Alex Tausanovitch and Danielle Root at the Center for American Progress, Jul 2020
America’s most gerrymandered congressional districts, Christopher Ingraham in Washington Post, May 2014
Analysis: Partisan gerrymandering has benefited Republicans more than Democrats, by AP on BusinessInsider, Jun 2017
The Pots Call The Kettles Gerrymandered
Republicans have benefitted more than Democrats from the last redistricting (because they controlled more of the State Houses responsible for drawing district lines in most states after the 2010 census), but it’s not confined to one party. This is a true ‘both sides’ issue because both sides do it when they’re in control, and perhaps that’s an inevitable result when either Party is presented such an opportunity.
Opinion: Everyone is against gerrymandering — until they’re the ones with the power to do it, Dan Morain in Washington Post, Mar 2021
How Maryland Democrats pulled off their aggressive gerrymander, Christopher Ingraham in Washington Post, Mar 2018
Republicans criticize Democrats over legislative redistricting plans, Andrew Hensel in The Center Square, Apr 2021
AP analysis shows how gerrymandering benefited GOP in 2016, David Lieb on PBS NewsHour, Jun 2017
Why Democrats Might Need to Play Dirty to Win, Russell Berman in The Atlantic, Mar 2021
Democrats Hate Gerrymandering—Except When They Get to Do It, Matt Lewis on TheDailyBeast, Apr 2021
Exterminating Gerrymanders
Understanding the problem is one thing, but fighting it is another. Political parties certainly don’t want to stop gerrymandering, while lobbyists’ and grifters’ livelihoods depend on it. The Supreme Court has overturned attempts because they conflict with some of the more recent campaign finance laws like Citizen United.
Hating Gerrymandering Is Easy. Fixing It Is Harder., David Wasserman in FiveThirtyEight, Jan 2018
Congress Could Change Everything, Gareth Fowler and Wendy Weiser at Brennan Center for Justice, Mar 2021
REACTION: Democrat, Republican leaders criticize Supreme Court for partisan gerrymandering ruling, CommonCause.org, Jun 2019
People Not Politicians, organization
Five Ways H.R. 1 Would Transform Redistricting, Michael Li at Brennan Center for Justice, Jun 2019
HR1
HR1 is the Democratic-introduced bill that has passed the House and now sits, dead barring filibuster reform, in the Senate. It covers three broad areas: expanded voting rights, campaign finance reform, and stronger ethics laws. Their fix for gerrymandering comes under ‘voting rights’ by “Establishing independent redistricting commissions in states as a way to draw new congressional districts and end partisan gerrymandering in federal elections.” Again, we’ve pointed you to several sources, but the Vox explainer is particularly good.
House Democrats’ massive voting rights bill, explained, Ella Nilsen on Vox, Mar 2021
Full Text of HR1, Congress.gov, 2021
67 Percent Of Americans Support H.R.1 For The People Act, Polling data from Data For Progress, Jan 2021
Does H.R. 1 give the federal government “the power to establish their own committees” for redistricting? PolitiFact, Mar 2021 (Ruling: Mostly False)
Annotated Guide to the For the People Act of 2021, Brennan Center for Justice, Mar 2021
The Peril and Promise of Redistricting Reform in H.R. 1, G. Michael Parsons in Harvard Law Review, Feb 2021
What’s coming in 2021
Now that the census data is coming in, redistricting is ready to start for the next 10 years. Gerrymandering, and any possible fixes for it, have never been more relevant than now.
The 2020 Census Population and Apportionment Data, Explained, Madiba Dennie and Kelly Percival at Brennan Center for Justice, Apr 2021
Which States Won — And Lost — Seats In The 2020 Census? Geoffrey Skelley and Nathaniel Rakich on FiveThirtyEight, Apr 2021
With Ohio losing a seat in Congress, likely a Republican, is gerrymandering in our future? Laura Johnston on Cleveland.com, Apr 2021
Here at home in Oregon
An interesting thing happened in the Oregon Legislature about a month ago. Republicans had been slow-walking legislation, crippling the Democrats’ agenda even though they held a near super-majority. The Dems, with redistricting coming up, held a majority in the panel that would draw the new districts. The two parties reached an agreement that the Reps would let legislation flow if the Dems would balance out the commission. Now the redistricting committee is bi-partisan, if not non-partisan, so there is a possibility that there will be a balanced selection for Oregon’s new congressional seat. But there’s also an incentive to reach a compromise instead of descending into partisan bickering… if the commission can’t determine a plan like adults, the job falls to Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, a Democrat who would get to do it all by herself. Stay tuned for deep political wonkery!
Oregon lawmakers reach deal to end delay tactics slowing session, Dirk VanderHart on OPB News, Apr 2021
Oregon to get 6th seat in Congress, Dirk VanderHart on OPB News, Apr 2021
