Gerrymandering
.
This term describes the "creative" definition of voting districts
in order to maximize the success of one constituent group to the detriment
of others. This can best be demonstrated using an example. The
image below right
shows two different ways to define voting districts. On the left, a
straight geography-based segmentation would yield one white winner and two
black winners. A more convoluted plan, on the right, ensures white
victory in all cases.
Gerrymandering gets its name from Massachusetts Governor Elbridge
Gerry (1744-1814), who signed into law a redistricting plan intended to
ensure success for Jeffersonian democrats. The layout was said to
resemble a salamander in appearance. See the image
here.
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