Project Civic Act
Lesson Module:
The Inequities of Gerrymandering
Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 because of intentional racial discrimination every decade since its enactment. The way we draw voting districts has absolutely played a role.
Illustration by Todd St. John
Objectives
Redistricting is the process by which we draw electoral district lines both at the state and congressional level. Gerrymandering is the manipulation of those district lines to affect an outcome for a particular party or group of people.
Students will get an overview of the redistricting process and gerrymandering including some background vocabulary using the literature and video resources below — Then students can participate in interactive redistricting exercises (also below) + discussions about the process both as it has long been done and as it could be evolving.
Grades: 6th - 12th
Key Discussion questions
How do these district lines impact communities?
What considerations need to be taken to draw fair district lines? How could fair districts and fair representation benefit communities - what would that look like?
How is the political power of voters impacted in instances of gerrymandering? Can underserved communities thrive without being able to hold lawmakers accountable with their vote?
Is there a long term impact to our democracy and the democratic process when gerrymandering is at play?
Read
Gerrymandering, or how drawing irregular lines can impact an election
Want to dismantle structural racism in the US? Help fight gerrymandering
Gerrymandering’s role in crises like the one in Flint:
What partisan gerrymandering has cost MichiganOn prison gerrymandering:
'Your Body Being Used': Where Prisoners Who Can't Vote Fill Voting DistrictsOn evolving approaches to drawing the lines:
Number of states using redistricting commissions growing
Watch
Check out the selection of videos below to use in your discussions —