Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	Gerrymandering is the arcane and magical art of drawing mystical boundaries over a land to separate their inhabitants into what are known as “congressional districts.” 	
 	 	 	Legend has it that King Solomon discovered this knowledge by using the dark arts to wrestle it from a captured demon. 	Legend has it that King Solomon discovered this knowledge by using the dark arts to wrestle it from a captured demon. 	Legend has it that King Solomon discovered this knowledge by using the dark arts to wrestle it from a captured demon. 	Legend has it that King Solomon discovered this knowledge by using the dark arts to wrestle it from a captured demon. 	Legend has it that King Solomon discovered this knowledge by using the dark arts to wrestle it from a captured demon. 	Legend has it that King Solomon discovered this knowledge by using the dark arts to wrestle it from a captured demon. 	 	
The drawing of geographic districts from which representatives are chosen is a necessary step in any democratic regime, and the Constitution provides that a gerrymandering must take place every decade.	The drawing of geographic districts from which representatives are chosen is a necessary step in any democratic regime, and the Constitution provides that a gerrymandering must take place every decade. 	The drawing of geographic districts from which representatives are chosen is a necessary step in any democratic regime, and the Constitution provides that a gerrymandering must take place every decade. 	The drawing of geographic districts from which representatives are chosen is a necessary step in any democratic regime, and the Constitution provides that a gerrymandering must take place every decade. 	The drawing of geographic districts from which representatives are chosen is a necessary step in any democratic regime, and the Constitution provides that a gerrymandering must take place every decade. 	 	 	 	 	 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
==How It Works== 	
In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	In many cases this is left up to State legislatures, but a growing movement feels that the 	
 	 	 	 	task might better be accomplished by retired judges. In the latter scenario, a group of three retired judges is selected by the government. Those judges are then given large quantities of alcohol, and monitored to 	task might better be accomplished by retired judges. In the latter scenario, a group of three retired judges is selected by the government. Those judges are then given large quantities of alcohol, and monitored to 	task might better be accomplished by retired judges. In the latter scenario, a group of three retired judges is selected by the government. Those judges are then given large quantities of alcohol, and monitored to 	task might better be accomplished by retired judges. In the latter scenario, a group of three retired judges is selected by the government. Those judges are then given large quantities of alcohol, and monitored to 	task might better be accomplished by retired judges. In the latter scenario, a group of three retired judges is selected by the government. Those judges are then given large quantities of alcohol, and monitored to 	task might better be accomplished by retired judges. In the latter scenario, a group of three retired judges is selected by the government. Those judges are then given large quantities of alcohol, and monitored to	
 	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	ensure it is drunk. Once intoxicated, the judges are tethered together with bunji cords and set loose on a specially prepared football field on which a map of the state has been painted. Cameras follow the drunken staggering of the judges, and the path they walk creates the lines on the new map.	 	
 	 	 	Despite the obvious merits of this approach, many States do it the old fashioned way, making their elected officials decide how to elect officials. It is a difficult job, but service is their reward. When engaging 	Despite the obvious merits of this approach, many States do it the old fashioned way, making their elected officials decide how to elect officials. It is a difficult job, but service is their reward. When engaging 	Despite the obvious merits of this approach, many States do it the old fashioned way, making their elected officials decide how to elect officials. It is a difficult job, but service is their reward. When engaging 	Despite the obvious merits of this approach, many States do it the old fashioned way, making their elected officials decide how to elect officials. It is a difficult job, but service is their reward. When engaging 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	in gerrymandering, there are several rules: 	in gerrymandering, there are several rules: 	in gerrymandering, there are several rules: 	in gerrymandering, there are several rules: 	in gerrymandering, there are several rules: 	in gerrymandering, there are several rules: 	
* You must not isolate adjacent members of a single demographic 	* You must not isolate adjacent members of a single demographic 	* You must not isolate adjacent members of a single demographic 	* You must not isolate adjacent members of a single demographic 	* You must not isolate adjacent members of a single demographic 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	constituency—unless they would never vote for you. What are they, narrow-minded? 	 	
 	 	 	 	* You must make at least one animal-shaped district. Double points if the animal you make is the same as your zodiac symbol. 	* You must make at least one animal-shaped district. Double points if the animal you make is the same as your zodiac symbol. 	* You must make at least one animal-shaped district. Double points if the animal you make is the same as your zodiac symbol. 	* You must make at least one animal-shaped district. Double points if the animal you make is the same as your zodiac symbol. 	* You must make at least one animal-shaped district. Double points if the animal you make is the same as your zodiac symbol. 	* You must make at least one animal-shaped district. Double points if the animal you make is the same as your zodiac symbol. 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	* Carve out the major districts first. These are known as positive space on the canvas, while the districts 	 	 	 	
 	 	defined solely by the boundaries of other districts are known as negative space. 	defined solely by the boundaries of other districts are known as negative space. 	defined solely by the boundaries of other districts are known as negative space. 	defined solely by the boundaries of other districts are known as negative space. 	defined solely by the boundaries of other districts are known as negative space. 	defined solely by the boundaries of other districts are known as negative space. 	defined solely by the boundaries of other districts are known as negative space. 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	The first legislator to spell out his initials with negative space gets re-elected automatically. 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	* You must always follow the magnetic field lines reported by the Congressional diviner, unless an augury tells you not to. 	* You must always follow the magnetic field lines reported by the Congressional diviner, unless an augury tells you not to. 	* You must always follow the magnetic field lines reported by the Congressional diviner, unless an augury tells you not to. 	* You must always follow the magnetic field lines reported by the Congressional diviner, unless an augury tells you not to. 	* You must always follow the magnetic field lines reported by the Congressional diviner, unless an augury tells you not to. 	
==Play at Home==
To get a better idea of how gerrymandering works, try doing it yourself. Below is a simple
district with different votes represented by different color dots. Try to pick the plan so
that there are equal numbers of dots in all boxes, and so that the plan is fair to all voters.
File:gerrymandering-1-1.jpg|Plan A
File:gerrymandering-1-2.jpg|Plan B
File:gerrymandering-1-3-redo.jpg|Plan C
The correct answer was Plan A, because the other plans would be unfair to either the blue dots
or the red dots. Did you get the right answer?
 
Let’s continue on with another very similar district. See if you can tell which is the
correct map.
File:gerrymandering-2-1.jpg|Plan A
File:gerrymandering-2-2.jpg|Plan B
File:gerrymandering-2-3-redo.jpg|Plan C
The correct answer is Plan C, because the brown dots like to be next to each
other.
If you didn’t get either of these questions right, don’t worry. Advanced computers do most of this for us now.
==See Also==
* Alchemy
* Tom DeLay
* Elbridge Gerry
Category:American political terms
Category:Political corruption
Category:Confusing, but sounds scientific
Category:19th Century US Politics
Category:FA Politics