Essay about Gerrymandering - 886 Words

Gerrymandering When I thought of the topic Gerrymandering, I thought perhaps it would be too far-fetched when it came to the Rubric designed in a women studies class. But, on further review of the subject matter I realized how important this practice is to study, and how it can be used for both good and evil concepts in the political scheme of things. Gerrymandering is a form of boundary redistricting, in which the boundaries of an electoral district or constituency are modified for electoral purposes, often producing a contorted or unusual shape. The resulting district is known as a Gerrymander. Gerrymandering is used as a potential way to achieve desired electoral results for a particular party, or may be used to†¦show more content†¦By placing high percentages of members of a racial or ethnic minority group in one or more districts so that minority voting strength is artificially limited to those districts and is minimized in neighboring districts. This leads to Racially Polarized Voting, which creates circumstances in which the voting preferences of a racial or ethnic group consistently vary from those of other racial or ethnic groups, particularly when the different voting r=preferences are based on the race of the candidate this also is referred as Racial Bloc Voting. Undercount is a common practice in the error in census data that results from the failure to count some people in the census, which is done every ten years. This proves problematic as certain groups, such as members of racial or ethnic minorities, have been disproportionately undercounted by the Federal Census, either by voter registration ineffectiveness or the migratory nature of the poor in attempt to find work. Congressman John S. Tanner has proposed a bill which would limit the drawing of congressional boundaries to once per decennial census period, and require the approval of a new district boundary by an independent commission. The most absurd district in the nation is the district of Illinois #4. They have two halves held together by a thin strip of land at its western edge that is a median strip along Interstate Hwy 294. The idea behind this wasShow MoreRelatedThe Detrimental Practice of Gerrymandering1004 Words   |  5 Pagesgreatly harm the American public. One of these dangerous practices, known as gerrymandering, occurs in nearly every state. While some claim that the practice helps America, in reality gerrymandering harms American democracy and safety. Gerrymandering greatly affects society, and must become illegal to insure fair representation, the democratic processes in America continues, and America continues to thrive. When gerrymandering occurs, a political party draws the boundaries of an electoral district inRead MoreShould Voting Be Outlawed? A Cornerstone Of America?1859 Words   |  8 Pagesagree that gerrymandering should be outlawed but where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of how to stop it. Whereas some are convinced that the responsibility falls upon the judicial system, others maintain that the courts are ineffective in managing gerrymandering and so turn to other solutions. Despite gerrymandering being a big problem in the United states, many do not even know what it is or that it even exists. There is no simple definition for gerrymandering. In generalRead MoreVoting Rights Act of 1965 Essay1082 Words   |  5 PagesThe history of â€Å"gerrymandering† started during the term of Elbridge Gerry, the Governor of Massachusetts, when he approved an obscure redistricting plan ahead of the 1812 elections that helped Republicans hold on to power in the legislature. One of the redistricted districts that primarily consisted of a one party defendant was shaped as a salamander, which later gave rise to this political term (Keck, 2010). The term relates to the drawing of the boundaries of electoral districts in a way that givesRead MoreEssay on Gerrymandering1064 Words   |  5 Pages English 1101 January 22, 2014 Gerrymandering Gerrymandering is defined as the establishment of boundaries of voting districts with the main objective of determining the partial or complete outcome of elections. Gerrymanders are designed with the main objective of insuring the defeat of specific individuals or electing political allies. There are a number of objectives of gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is usually carried out in order to allow for the reelection of incumbents or for the partyRead MoreGerrymandering Reflection951 Words   |  4 Pagesway, let’s get to it. Mission Two and Mission Four really develop and strengthen my general understanding on the topic of â€Å"gerrymandering†. I am going to be completely honest, before that day in which we discussed it in class, I didn’t have a single clue to what gerrymandering pertained to. I feel like the videos you provided me helped develop a sense of why â€Å"gerrymandering† is bad and how it affects politics. The redistricting game helped sho w me how ridiculously one party can take control of theRead MoreThe American Political System Is The Most Effective Constitution915 Words   |  4 Pagesmany issues we see today. Why would chosen leaders choose gridlock over working things out? At the heart of the gridlock is Gerrymandering. When the voting districts are made to represent a certain demographic its leader will represent their constituents. Therefore, in order to continue to be reelected the leader must say what the constituent wants to hear. â€Å"Partisan gerrymandering is not an ingenious aspect of the American system, meriting pride. It undermines democracy. It creates a situation in whichRead MoreThe Concept of Political Representation Essay2655 Words   |  11 Pagesdifferent types of constituents. Researchers could also expand Miller and Stokes’ study to look at levels of responsiveness in different issue areas over a longer period of time. In addition, there appear to be inconsistent results on the effect of gerrymandering on representation. This is an important issue that should be explored in more detail. Read MoreGerrymandering: Election and Politicians1235 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Gerrymandering The term gerrymandering refers to the practice of altering voting districts in order to achieve electoral results favorable to one person or party, usually the incumbent politician or party creating the new voting regions.1 This term, dating back to 1812, is an established method for incumbent politicians to improve their heresthetical â€Å"defense,† by manipulating the dimensions of the political landscape.2 This tactic is extremely common in the United States and a prime exampleRead MoreGerrymandering: Plurality Voting System and Redistricting Game1887 Words   |  8 Pagesdistrict court (3). In concluding the Partisan Gerrymandering simulation, was my party successful in re-districting to meet all of the Supreme Court, State Legislature, Governor’s and Courts ruling requirements? Our nations reliance upon winner-take-all elections and single member districts for Congressional elections without national standards has left our voting process open to the abuses of unfair partisan gerrymandering. In the Partisan Gerrymandering simulation game I played, I found that itRead MoreHow Gerrymandering Is The Leading Problem Facing America Today?936 Words   |  4 PagesFurthermore, the most distinct problem that the United States handles today is gerrymandering. Throughout this essay, it will be made clear that gerrymandering is the leading problem facing America today because it harms the equality of citizens. Before delving into the reasons for eliminating gerrymandering, it is first necessary to establish a definition of gerrymandering. According to Mike Stankiewicz, â€Å"Gerrymandering is a redistricting tactic that is used to increase the influence and power of