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

Newsom said the new lines would only take effect if other Republican states continued with their gerrymandering efforts. —The Npr Network, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025

Instead, the power is in the hands of independent commissions, something often left-leaning pro-democracy advocates have supported to enact fair maps that reduce gerrymandering. —Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025

Even with a Democratic version of the Contract With America, winning in 2026 will be an uphill battle for Democrats, with Republicans planning new gerrymandering of legislative districts in Texas, hoping to add five Republican seats in Congress. —Solomon D. Stevens, Twin Cities, 13 Aug. 2025

Well maybe, but Democratic gerrymandering of California’s districts will not be as easy as Republican gerrymandering in Texas. —Dan Walters, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2025

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