GERRYMANDERING

GERRYMANDERING

gerrymandering (jer-ee-man-d[schwa]r-ing orger-ee-), n.

1. The practice of dividing a geographical area into electoral districts, often of highly irregular shape, to give one political party an unfair advantage by diluting the opposition’s voting strength. ? When Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry ran for reelection in 1812, members of his political party, the Anti-Federalists, altered the state’s voting districts to benefit the party. One newly created district resembled a salamander, inspiring a critic to coin the word gerrymander by combining the governor’s name, Gerry, with the ending of salamander. Gerry was not reelected governor, but was elected as James Madison’s vice president.

¡ª Also termed political gerrymandering. [Cases: Constitutional Law 215.3, 225.3(5); Elections 12(6).C.J.S. Constitutional Law ¡ì¡ì 717, 720, 819.]

2. The practice of dividing any geographical or jurisdictional area into political units (such as school districts) to give some group a special advantage.

¡ª Also termed jurisdictional gerrymandering. Cf. REAPPORTIONMENT. [Cases: Schools 32. C.J.S. Schools and School Districts ¡ì¡ì 20, 23¨C26.] ¡ª gerrymander, vb.

delineational gerrymandering. Gerrymandering by varying the districts’ shape. ? There are three kinds of delin-eational gerrymandering: cracking (or fracturing), packing, and stacking. See CRACKING; PACKING; STACKING(2).

institutional gerrymandering. Gerrymandering by means of varying the number of representatives per district.


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