Gerrymandering as an art form: The root of our intense redistricting fight

Since the beginning of the republic, redistricting has been used as a tool for political advantage. However, we are in the midst of a particularly intense spasm of partisan-fueled gerrymandering.

State after state has redrawn its congressional districts to maximize partisan advantage for one side or the other. It is possible that this will never stop; every time a political party gains control of a state’s legislature and governorship, that party will create a gerrymandered map to maximize its electoral advantage. I hope that people’s better angels will prevail, and this cycle of partisan gamesmanship will soon come to an end.

There really are only two ways to approach redistricting.

BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL: TRUMP IS RIGHT. THE VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING REFERENDUM WAS RIGGED

The first is the principled approach that does not concern itself with outcomes or partisan advantage. Under this approach, mapmakers try to make districts as compact, uniform, and contiguous as