Kerby Anderson

When Texas Democrats fled the state to avoid a vote on redistricting, all of us started learning more about the phenomenon of gerrymandering. Even though I have written at least a half dozen commentaries about gerrymandering, I learned how significant the issue has become.

For example, most of those Democrats fled to Illinois, which was given two F grades by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project and described by some commentators as “the most gerrymandered state in the Union.” Many people began posting the number of states where all the members of Congress are from one party.

As you may know, the term gerrymander came from Massachusetts Governor Gerry who signed a bill that changed district lines in Boston that resembled the shape of a salamander. Here is an interesting fact: he was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

You could even say that gerrymandering led to the Bill of Rights.  In the summer of 1788, Governor Patrick Henry worked to prevent James Madison from serving in the Senate or the House of Representatives. First, he worked with members of the Virginia legislature to deny Madison a Senate seat. Back in those days, the legislature selected the U.S. Senators

Then he convinced the legislature to draw the Fifth Congressional District so that it included both the homes of James Madison and James Monroe. The two friends were forced to compete against each other.

During the debates with Monroe, Madison realized how important a Bill of Rights would be and made a campaign promise that he would support a Bill of Rights when elected to Congress. When he was elected, Madison pushed through the Bill of Rights, which was later ratified.

Gerrymandering is unfortunately part of our political history in this country, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t demand that state legislators work hard to create districts that are fair and truly represent the people.