Does It Impact Me?

The Gerrymander 

 Some time ago I posted a blog on gerrymandering, primarily sharing the history.  This blog addresses the challenges and impacts of gerrymandering.  At that time, the abuse of gerrymandering was particularly to disenfranchise Black voters.  However, historically and currently there are other examples of Gerrymandering.  

First of all, establishing precincts with a sincere intent to allow all voters to feel their vote has made a difference is not always easy. If votes of the entire state were simply dumped into one big basket, minorities would feel that their votes would not matter,  the election being winner take all.  However, redistricting with a specific intention to allow minorities of any particular race, religion, or other group likely to vote differently from the majority would leave those ignored voters for the more popular candidate feeling cheated.  About any way you go about trying to treat voters fairly has difficulties.  So, the way to begin this blog is to accept that perhaps the ability to allow everyone to feel that their vote matters is impossible.  It is easier to recognize the wrongful gerrymandering than it is to create a perfect means for all voters who vote. 

History for generations provided examples of gerrymandering being used to disenfranchise minorities, and use of the term generally refers to unfair or dishonest manipulation of  voting districts.  However,  positive efforts to treat all voters fairly can also produce some odd looking shapes.  The shape is not what defines whether a district is fair or unfair to voters.      

Americans have taken pride in the right to vote for generations, and if voters are in the majority, they may never have thought about how disenfranchised minority voters must feel.  It is important for all Americans to want the elections to be as fair as possible, without destroying ballots and scheduling voting hours at inconvenient times or in distant locations, or forcing people to stand in long lines moving slowly, taking hours to vote. Those unfair and un-American stunts are obvious.  Rather, we should want to make all voters feel that their votes matter.  

Traditionally, voting maps are adjusted after census years, because that allows adjustments consistent with the current population.  In general, those adjustments last from census to census.  Unless some significant event occurs there will be no voting districts moved or added.  Therefore, when a state deviates from those traditions it draws attention.  Such has been the case recently in Texas.  

Such interference has happened before.  In fact, in 1812 in Massachusetts the name gerrymandering was applied to a Governor's attempt to sign a bill to redraw State Senate districts to his benefit.  So, here we are.  What's old is often new again, perhaps especially in political tricks.  What is also common is that once tried, others may follow.

I warned at the start of this blog that you might not find answers, but we can keep our eyes open to recognize misuse and abuse of the law and the norms.  We can appeal to those capable of acting appropriately.  And, we do not have to allow our state to act wrongfully just because others do.  

Our responsibility can remain to find ways in our state to make the votes of everyone important, and to respect that right even when we may disagree.  Intentionally attempting to disrupt the votes of citizens is an assault on all of us.