Let the Voters Choose: Solving the Problem of Partisan Gerrymandering

A fair and equitable election process, robust competition, and broad voter participation are essential ingredients for a healthy democracy. Unfortunately, the increasingly common practice of manipulating legislative district lines for political advantage – or partisan gerrymandering – is undercutting these democratic principles. The most recent round of nationwide redistricting demonstrates that technology allows gerrymandering to become more common, more effective, and more extreme. In effect, many districts are drawn to let representatives choose their voters, rather than voters choosing their representatives. With the next round of nationwide redistricting approaching quickly, now is the time for redistricting reform. We discuss more-evenhanded alternatives.