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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

That may be why asset gerrymandering isn’t a major factor in federal redistricting fights. —Matt Ford, The New Republic, 14 Oct. 2022

The House last year passed a bill to protect voting rights and restrict gerrymandering. —David Leonhardt, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2022

If the theory is affirmed by the court, gerrymandering is also a top concern for the election experts. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2022

But this month the state Justices outdid themselves, ruling 4-3 that unlawful gerrymandering also could be a legal excuse to undo two constitutional provisions that voters strongly approved. —The Editorial Board, WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022

In 2018, Democrats won every major statewide office, including governor and attorney general, races where gerrymandering isn’t in play. —David A. Lieb, Anchorage Daily News, 3 July 2022

June 27, 2019 - Reads a dissent following the 5-4 decision that gerrymandering is beyond the reach of the court. —CNN, 24 Apr. 2022

There was already suspicion in 2018 when statehouse Republicans headed off a ballot initiative to limit partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts in the state. —cleveland, 29 Dec. 2021

But gerrymandering is still a redistricting tool — just for a different purpose. —George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2021

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Word History

Etymology

gerrymander entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above