Racial Gerrymandering and the 2021-2022 Redistricting Process

by LaQuinta Howard

Every ten years following the census count, our nation undergoes the redistricting process. Redistricting is the process of drawing state, local, and congressional districts maps based on census data. The people who draw our new maps vary from state to state; some states use redistricting commissions, while others give the task to state legislators.

New maps should reflect the actual population, but this doesn’t always happen. Sometimes maps are gerrymandered, or intentionally manipulated to protect a certain group’s political interests. This is often at the expense of voters of color and those in rural communities.

A History of Racial Gerrymandering

The practice of gerrymandering started in Massachusetts in 1812, when Gov. Elbridge Gerry enacted a law that packed the Federalist party voters into just a few districts, giving an advantage to the Democratic and Republican parties.

This practice continues today, despite attempts to curb it with legislation and litigation. One major form of gerrymandering is racial gerrymandering, or the drawing of maps that favor white communities over communities of color.