Gerrymandering Research Paper

The issue of gerrymandering has long been a present and continuous issue in American politics. Gerrymandering can be defined as the intentional manipulation of electoral districts to favor a particular political party. North Carolina, in particular, has been involved in numerous Supreme Court cases over the years addressing and regulating gerrymandering. Although there are different types of gerrymandering, no matter the type, gerrymandering ultimately is harmful and compromises the democratic ideas of which our country was founded. Gerrymandering is a complex and confusing topic for most people, but in reality, the basic idea of gerrymandering is simple. Gerrymandering involves drawing political boundaries in a way that gives one party an advantage over the other. To be more specific, there are two main …show more content…
One political party is able to gain an advantage, while the other party's power and influence is greatly reduced. The use of gerrymandering also causes unfair votes. When the methods of packing or staking are used, certain parties' votes have been strategically placed in order to have little influence on the outcome of the election. Gerrymandering also allows the election of a legislative body that does not accurately represent the people. This causes our government to be less effective in policy making as the people's ideas and visions for our country are not being accurately represented. Lastly, gerrymandering exacerbates political polarization. The divide between parties will become more distinct, because incumbents do not need to cater to moderate viewpoints, as they already have the advantage to win. Gerrymandering in the United States, and more specifically in North Carolina, has been a persistent and ongoing issue. Gerrymandering comes in different forms, but no matter the form, gerrymandering ultimately undermines the true democratic ideals on which our country was founded

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