1. 3. Other than the size of the population in each district, what
The Gerrymandering Game characteristics does the map tell you about your population?
Assignment Why might that be important?
4. What other factors might mapmapkers consider when
redistricting?
Every ten years, the state legislatures in each state redraws district 5. Click on the 2nd tab (on the left), the feedback tab. What advice
maps to make sure that each congressional district has roughly the does the feedback tab give you before submitting your map?
same size of population. (Which is why Jefferson County has one 6. When your map is submitted for approval, what are the state
whole congressional district, the 3rd, whereas Fayette County shares legislature voting results?
the 6th congressional district with several other counties.) However, 7. Is your map challenged in court? If so, what are the grounds and
drawing district maps can also be used as a political tool, where what were the results?
candidates choose voters 8. Once you click ‘Fast Forward to the Next Election,’ a newspaper
rather than voters choosing gives a little bit of analysis about the redistricting. Summarize
candidates. To find out what the newspaper says.
about redistricting and
gerrymandering, and to Mission 2: Partisan Gerrymandering
complete the class
assignment, we’re going to Your goal in this mission is to try and gerrymander the fictional state of
play a game… Hamilton for whatever political party you support. If you are in my
advanced class, select the advanced game, if you are in my general class,
select basic. You can choose whichever political party you prefer.
Helpful Hints for the ReDistricting Game…
• Each congressperson’s house must stay in their district. For 1. Which was more difficult to achieve – redistricting based on
example, the purple house needs to stay in the purple district. population, or redistricting based on partisanship (political
• All the parts of the district need to be touching and connected. party)? Explain your answer.
For example, you can’t have an island of purple in a yellow 2. Once your map is submitted for approval, what are the state
district or vice versa. (Corners touching don’t count in this game.) legislature voting results?
3. Is your map challenged in court? If so, what are the grounds and
Mission 1: Population Equity what were the results?
4. Once you click ‘Fast Forward to the Next Election,’ the
You will be completing Mission 1 of the The ReDistricting Game. If you newspaper analyzes the redistricting results. In order to achieve
are in my advanced class, select the advanced game, if you are in my
three congressional districts that favor your political party, which
general class, select basic. You can choose whichever political party you
tactic do you have to use? What is it, and what does it do?
prefer.
1. What does population equity mean? (Hint: population equity is
the goal of the game. So what is it that you’re trying to
accomplish?) Why is it important?
2. How is population represented on the map?