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

Opponents of Issue 1 say current rules work to prevent gerrymandering. —Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024

Black voters must demand that candidates commit to passing comprehensive voting rights legislation that includes provisions to prevent gerrymandering, restore federal oversight of elections in states with histories of discrimination, and expand access to early and mail-in voting. —Lenwood V. Long, Sr., Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

When Democrats complained, Republicans pointed towards the sordid history of Democratic gerrymandering in North Carolina and argued, essentially, that turnabout was fair play. —Christopher Cooper / Made By History, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024

Last year, lawmakers introduced federal legislation to ban prison gerrymandering. —Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

gerrymander entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above