Redistricting Showdown

Should partisan gerrymandering be eliminated?

Introduction

The Supreme Court has long rejected legislative districts drawn to give one racial or ethnic group an advantage in state and federal elections. But the court has never set standards for deciding when districts drawn explicitly for partisan political purposes are unconstitutional. That could soon change as the court prepares to hear a potentially landmark Wisconsin redistricting case this fall. At stake is the balance of power in state legislatures and the right to draw the next set of congressional boundaries, based on the 2020 census. Redistricting abuses — known pejoratively as gerrymandering — have sparked outrage for disenfranchising voters and unfairly helping political parties maintain power. Some districts redrawn into contorted shapes — such as Pennsylvania's “Upside-Down Chinese Dragon” and Illinois' “Rabbit on a ...

locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles