gerrymandering

noun

ger·​ry·​man·​der·​ing ˈjer-ē-ˌman-d(ə-)riŋ 

also ˈger-;

originally ˈger-

: the practice of dividing or arranging a territorial unit into election districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage in elections

To an untrained eye, the proposed boundaries look like the etchings of a mapmaker on heavy pharmaceuticals. In reality, it's a masterpiece of diabolical gerrymandering.

—Carl Hiaasen

Bipartisan gerrymandering following the 2000 reapportionment produced hundreds of safe Democratic seats, hundreds of safe Republican seats, and not much else.

—Peter Beinart

compare cracking, packing

Examples of gerrymandering in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But isn't your party, from the president on down, with this gerrymandering push, locking in the changes, that will only feed into that more extreme part of the party? —CBS News, 31 May 2026

But Fitzpatrick, who also backs a federal ban on partisan gerrymandering, ultimately wants to see even bigger reforms. —Eric McDaniel, NPR, 30 May 2026

The Supreme Court ended federal jurisdiction over partisan gerrymandering claims and narrowed the Voting Rights Act. —Bruce Sibley, Time, 29 May 2026

Voting rights groups contend Florida’s new congressional districts should be struck down for violating a state ban on intentional partisan gerrymandering. —David A. Lieb, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

gerrymander entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gerrymandering

• meandering
• philandering
• pandering
• slandering