Gerrymandering in AP Government drawing districts to win.
Gerrymandering is drawing electoral district lines to favor one party or group. This gerrymandering AP Gov definition guide covers the main techniques, the key court cases, and how the AP exam tests redistricting.
What is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing the boundaries of electoral districts to give one party, incumbent, or group an advantage. District lines are normally redrawn every ten years after the census, and the party in control of a state legislature can shape those lines to its benefit.
The two main techniques
Key court cases
In Baker v. Carr (1962), the Court ruled that redistricting questions can be heard by federal courts, which opened the door to the one person, one vote principle. Shaw v. Reno (1993) held that districts drawn mainly on the basis of race can violate the Equal Protection Clause. Both cases appear on the AP required list, so connect gerrymandering to them.
Racial versus partisan gerrymandering
Racial gerrymandering, drawing lines mainly by race, has been struck down by the courts. Partisan gerrymandering, drawing lines to favor a party, is harder to challenge, and the Supreme Court has held that federal courts should generally stay out of purely partisan claims. Keep the two types separate, since the legal treatment differs.
How AP Gov tests gerrymandering
Multiple-choice questions often describe packing or cracking and ask for the term, or tie the topic to Baker v. Carr and Shaw v. Reno. Free-response questions may ask how gerrymandering affects representation or how the courts have limited it. Name the technique and the relevant case.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers — written by humans, not a chatbot.
What is the difference between packing and cracking?
Packing crowds voters of the opposing party into a few districts so their votes are wasted on lopsided wins. Cracking spreads those voters across many districts so they never form a majority. Both reduce the seats the opposing party can win.
Which court cases connect to gerrymandering?
Baker v. Carr in 1962 made redistricting a question federal courts can review and led to one person, one vote. Shaw v. Reno in 1993 ruled that race cannot be the main factor in drawing a district. Both are on the AP required cases list.
Is partisan gerrymandering illegal?
Racial gerrymandering has been struck down, but the Supreme Court has held that purely partisan gerrymandering is a political question that federal courts generally will not decide. State courts and independent commissions are the main checks on it.