Gerrymandering Must Die
Published: June 3, 2026 •
2 min read
The concept of electoral districting in the US was originally meant to keep things fair and local: people in different areas should have their own representative who understands their needs. And it would have been a great idea if everyone used them as they should be used. Unfortunately, that is not the case. And it's a system that is incredibly easy to abuse.
"Gerrymandering" is what that abuse is called: politicians redrawing their state maps to increase their political party's power. They carve up electoral districts in weird shapes to pack opponents into a few areas or spread them thin so they can’t win. And it works.
Electoral districts were supposed to protect democracy. Now they’re one of the easiest ways to game it.But thankfully, they are only redrawn every 10 years after the US census. Or they were, until now.
Trump told all the Republican state governors to redraw their districts now, right before the midterm elections, signaling a partisan “arms race.” In response, Alabama, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah all redrew their maps, netting the Republicans 10 or more seats than they would have had otherwise. And more states are considering redrawing as well. While California redrew its districts in response, the net gain for Democrats would only be 5 seats, leaving Republicans still ahead by at least 5 seats.
Obviously this arms race is not sustainable. It's a mad grab for seats and power that eliminates representation for a great portion of people in those states—using a practice that is outdated and seriously abused.While electoral districting once served a practical and democratic purpose, its drawbacks now far outweigh its benefits. With this massive manipulation of state-drawn lines, it's time for gerrymandering to die. Electoral Districting is unnecessary in a modern, highly connected society. With national media, digital communication, and widespread mobility, geographic representation matters far less for fair representation.
A national popular vote, instead of electoral districting, would eliminate gerrymandering and ensure that political power more accurately reflects voters in the US.
