Redistricting & Your Vote
How gerrymanders dilute representation — and what you can do about it
Every ten years, after the Census, political boundaries for congressional and state legislative districts are redrawn. This process — redistricting — is meant to ensure equal representation as populations shift. But when lines are drawn to give one political party or group an advantage, that’s called gerrymandering.
Why It Matters
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Diluted votes: Gerrymanders can weaken the power of certain communities by “packing” them into a single district or “cracking” them across many districts.
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Reduced competition: Safe seats often mean less accountability and fewer real choices at the ballot box.
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Skewed representation: The makeup of a legislature can end up not reflecting the will of the voters.
What’s Legal — and What’s Not
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Legal: Districts must have roughly equal populations (“one person, one vote”). They also must comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protects against racial discrimination in redistricting.
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Not Legal: Racial gerrymandering — drawing districts with race as the predominant factor to disadvantage a group of voters — is unconstitutional.
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Gray Area: Partisan gerrymandering (favoring one political party) has been challenged in court. In Rucho v. Common Cause (2019), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal courts cannot police partisan gerrymandering claims. However, state courts can rule on whether maps violate state constitutions — and several have.
How States Handle It
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State legislatures: In most states, lawmakers control redistricting.
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Independent commissions: Some states (like Colorado, Arizona, and Michigan) use nonpartisan or bipartisan commissions to draw maps.
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Hybrid models: Others combine legislative and commission roles.
What You Can Do
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Stay informed: Learn how your state handles redistricting.
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Submit input: Many states allow public comment when maps are being drawn.
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Support reforms: Independent commissions and transparency rules are proven ways to curb gerrymandering.
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Use tools: Sites like Draw the Lines and Dave’s Redistricting App let citizens experiment with fairer maps.