Elbridge Gerry...the man who gave us Gerrymandering

Every ten years, there is a census. After that census, districts are redrawn and population totals are tabulated. Depending on that population, a state might gain or lose state representatives. 200 years ago a political tactic was born using redistricting.

Elbridge Gerry was the Governor of Massachusetts and he signed an unusual redistricting law that would help his party stay in power and thus begin the technique and strategy of gerrymandering. The term came from Gerry's last name and salamander because the redistricting was salamander-like. Gerry came to power in 1810 and two years later the redistricting bill was signed allowing greater and unequal Republican representation in the state legislature. His political maneuver has been utilized many times since by incumbent parties who pack voters who oppose them into districts that they viewed already lost to minimize the opposing parties' influence across the state.

Essentially the goal of gerrymandering is block out new faces to the political arena and almost script outcomes to the point where voters and their will is ignored if it goes against the one party's chosen candidate. One of the latest examples and uses of this was in the early 2000s when a congressional map in Texas was redrawn. The Supreme Court even found the move acceptable by the House Republicans. The redistricting aided the Republicans defeat four Democratic congressmen in 2004. The Court did rule that the plan implemented by the U.S. House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay, at the time weakened the voting strength of Latinos in two districts. Naturally, Latinos are more inclined to vote for a Democratic nominee so DeLay strategy was wise for his party. In the opinion of the Supreme Court is what mentioned that members of any racial group cannot be targeted in a state and denied rights through a measure like this. District 23, which was affected, was redrawn.

There were some worries this year regarding who President Obama would appoint as his nominee to head the Commerce Department, who is in charge of the census every ten years. If he were to nominate someone on the Republican side, then that would open the door for discrimination against minorities. Naturally, certain Republican members in Congress found something to gripe about. They did not the President likewise doing anything that tilted things in the Democrats favor. When it comes to gathering census data, both parties have difference of how it should be done. Each method they favor would be more in line with getting outcomes they want.

I doubt anyone in 1812 would have predicted that the creation of a Massachusetts governor would still be implemented 200 years later. Elbridge Gerry did many things as an early founder of the United States. He served in various capacities, but as long as history books are written his name will forever be linked to gerrymandering. And every time we see redistricting come up, he is the first person many think of.