Searching for Alternative Electoral Redistricting Maps

Keywords: political geography, redistricting, gerrymander, elections
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Analysis of electoral redistricting revolves around maps, primarily understanding where lines are drawn to group people together and considering who those people elect to legislative bodies. In the most recent redistricting cycle, the fairest maps (as defined by the Brennan Center) were created by independent commissions without direct influence of politicians. While no map manages to comply with all traditional redistricting principles – equal population, contiguity, compactness, avoidance of splitting political jurisdictions – formal disputes leading to litigation usually only occur with egregiously unfair maps. The recent opinion by the Colorado Supreme Court stated, “we conclude that the Commission did not abuse its discretion in applying the criteria set forth in article V, section 48.1 of the Colorado Constitution” (November 2021, www.courts.state.co.us). One of the current redistricting cases before the U.S. Supreme Court centers on whether a map in Alabama was drawn to dilute the African American vote at the federal level. The discussion in the media was emblematic of the discourse focusing on gerrymandered maps – one drawn to promote a particular political party – compared to a map that was less biased, in this case allowing African Americans to elect a candidate of their choice. Where are more alternative maps? Multiple amateurs and professional cartographers created thousands of redistricting maps that met redistricting criteria across the country, but few were considered or discussed in public news outlets. A review of national news entities will consider whether public discussion of alternative maps took place during the 2021-2022 redistricting cycle.