Ohioans don’t like gerrymandering , which is why both sides of the Issue 1 debate say they have a solution for it.
But what is gerrymandering? Gerrymandering is the manipulation of district boundaries to give one political party an unearned advantage over the other. The term came from a salamander-like district signed into law by Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry in 1812 .
What is packing in gerrymandering?
There are lots of ways to gerrymander. One method is called packing. Using this technique, mapmakers could cram most of an area’s Republicans into one district, which the Republican candidate is guaranteed to win by a large margin while assuring Democrats can win the surrounding districts.
What is cracking in gerrymandering?
Another method is called cracking. Using cracking, mapmakers could divide a Democratic city into two districts with enough Republican voters to dilute the Democrats and ensure two Republicans win those seats.
Making incumbents run against each other
A third tactic pits two sitting lawmakers of the same party against one another, ensuring one will lose. Similar to a game of musical chairs, someone is left without a seat when the music stops.