Gerrymandering in the USA Essay

Gerrymandering is mainly used to alter the restrictions of the state legislature districts so as to control the voting constituencies and the outcomes of elections. This expression came from the Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry who in 1812 created what appeared to be salamander-shaped districts resulting in an electoral coup (Wang). Till this very day these techniques have been introduced, and both parties use this method to control election outcomes. Though technically legal, gerrymandering is viewed with askance as ethically questionable at best. As Christopher Ingraham succinctly explains, "state legislatures draw the district boundaries that determine how many delegates the state sends to the U.S. Congress, as well as the general partisan make-up of that delegation. if one party is in control of the process they can draw boundaries to give themselves a numeric advantage in Congress."(Ingraham 1) Consensus has grown over recent years that partisan polarization in Congress has increased, but disagreement exists as to whether or not gerrymandering is a major cause. Although not a sole cause, as other influences are contributing to the polarization effect in Congress as well, gerrymandering nonetheless is a significant factor, especially due to its favoritism toward and preferential positioning of incumbents and, more importantly, its discouragement of the development of moderate positions within both of the two parties.
One result of gerrymandering that contributes to polarization is the advantage it creates for maintaining incumbents in office through contorting district lines to protect the party in power (Wang). Ben Wofford's assessment is that "gerrymandering, by design, creates incumbents" by allowing the party-in-power to confine opposing voters within districts already known to favor the challenger, a technique known as "packing," and dispersing other pockets of opposition sympathizers among different districts such that their votes are inconsequential, a technique known as "cracking." Wofford surmises that, "It's the incumbency that gerrymandering perpetuates - both packed and cracked - that worsens polarization." The fight to maintain power of holding an office is helped by gerrymandering that is a provider to the polarization of Congress.
Another aspect of gerrymandering related to incumbency but that is even more profoundly exacerbating polarization of Congress is the reduction or, in some regions, even eradication of positions of moderation within both parties. Maintaining incumbency equates to maintaining the status quo, and maintaining the status quo reaches out to keeping up homogeneity of beliefs within the gerrymandered districts. This homogeneity undermines the introduction and inculcation of new perspectives and potentially more moderate positions on issues and even accentuates and encourages extremity in both parties. Bringing this polarization effect of gerrymandering into sharp focus, Wofford explains that gerrymandering "parcels the state into ideological camps . Without the mitigating effect of a 'moderate' constituency, Congresspersons who represent these ideological strongholds themselves have less reason to compromise thus making Congress more partisan." (Wofford 1) What he is trying to say is a form of ideological inbreeding favorable to replicating the most extreme positions in both parties, thus significantly contributing to the polarization of Congress.