Redrawing Democracy: The Cost of Gerrymandering

When I first got involved in politics, I was introduced to a man who was considering a run for Congress.

He was from a different state and talked a lot about how his congressional district really needed a change. The district’s policies weren’t serving the people, and many citizens had become upset about how their district was being run.

The problem, however, was that the district was firmly in the hands of one political party and, despite the frustrations of many people in the district, it was poised to remain that way for a while.

This was because of gerrymandering years earlier, and despite his enthusiasm and desire to help the frustrated people in his district, the man I met did not have any confidence that he would win. And while he tried to run, he eventually had to drop out of the race, leaving the party in power with no competition and the district in the same stagnant place.

The issue of gerrymandering is nothing new, and the short story above is quite common throughout our country in various forms. It is also bipartisan, as both political parties partake in it to win elections and stay in power.

And although gerrymandering is something that is, in principle, disliked and opposed by many, people will tolerate it, or even endorse it, when it benefits their political party.

But this has a cost. And the problems created by gerrymandering have long-lasting, deep, and systematic effects on our country’s identity.

In this article, we’ll discuss how gerrymandering became a common practice, why it poses a serious threat to our country’s identity, and the solutions that could permanently fix this issue.