Gerrymandering in politics refers to the practice of drawing the boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one political party or group an unfair advantage over its rivals. It involves manipulating district lines to either spread voters of the opposing party across many districts ("cracking") to dilute their voting power, or to concentrate them into a few districts ("packing") to reduce their influence elsewhere. This practice can skew election results and lead to legislative bodies that do not fairly represent the electorate's preferences. The term "gerrymandering" originated in 1812 from Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, whose administration enacted a redistricting plan that included a district shaped like a salamander, inspiring the name. Gerrymandering can also be racial, attempting to dilute the voting power of racial or ethnic minority groups. Although redistricting is necessary every 10 years to reflect changes in population, gerrymandering is criticized as it undermines the principles of electoral fairness and compactness of districts. While racial gerrymandering is illegal, political gerrymandering remains a contentious but often legal practice, with courts sometimes reluctant to intervene in partisan disputes. In essence, gerrymandering allows politicians to "pick their voters" rather than voters choosing their representatives, often resulting in a less democratic outcome and voter disenchantment.
