Posted on 07/25/2025 6:04:06 AM PDT by eccentric
“I think that gerrymandering is the big problem. I’d like to see states divided by vertical lines, and then each vertical slice subdivided by horizontal lines as needed to create districts with equal populations. Every district a mandatory parallelogram. As populations shift, move the vertical or horizontal lines a mile or so to adjust the number of voters. It should be a math exercise rather than an exercise in customizing a district so that we can be sure to get a black rep here, here, and here.”
“math exercise”
One could allocate to cities (and immediately adjacent counties) as many districts as may be fully contained therein, to be allocated on the basis of:
1. proportional representation
2. using the existing district boundaries at least to the (largest) city limits
3. each district to have roughly equal latitude and longitude width
All that is to keep the colored members of Congress in their seats (and to avoid race riots).
The other districts in the state could be allocated on the basis of:
1. proportional representation
2. each district to have roughly equal latitude and longitude width
District creation calculations would be made from each corner of the state. The corner that results in minimal total (latitude + longitude) outlying district width would get chosen.
Finally, jurisdictions to get shifted between two districts at a time (without changing the districts’ latitude and longitude ratio by more than 10% each (or out to a county boundary if allowed by state law)) to minimize the number of jurisdictions contained in more than one district.
NOTE: This may not be the best, but it was the best I could come up with in 30 minutes.
As long as they re-draw Queen Sheila “don’t you know who I am” Jackson Lee’s old district into something other than an outline of a uterus. She sure had to work at it to get elected forever.
Latitude and longitude lines would be less biased.
Because roads and other infrastructure affect everyone living in an area. Dividing representation within a geographical area would be confusing and would lead to more problems than I think it would solve.
Honestly, I think you should start counting in the upper right corner of a state and move out until you meet the population goal. Make a line, and then start counting again.
Gerrymandering is scary when you look at how they do this stuff. You will always end up, somewhere, where the people on one side of a street are in one district and the other side is in another. I don’t think that is avoidable.
“And if...changes their last name...not the same age”
The census data (names and ages) could (and should) be used.
1. Every person is counted (i.e. included in the census)
2. the citizenship of each person should be determined
3. states should be allocated districts based on citizenship as per Amendment XIV
4. districts are then created by the states
Every person has to be counted by the census (as per Amendment XIV) so their possible improper exclusion on the basis of male gender and race from the franchise can be determined.
The name, age and address (and as I recollect race) of every US resident is taken down too by the census.
Citizenship is best determined by other means than merely asking foreign citizens resident in the USA.
Asking citizenship on a census form would however make mistaken exclusion of citizens from Congressional district allocation easier to challenge.
Simplest - disallow a district that crosses municipal or other government borders.
Connie Morella was a favored state level republican in super blue Maryland until Nancy Pelosi got in charge.
She got redistricted out by making her district span two different counties.
“I think you should start counting in the upper right corner of a state and move out until you meet the population goal. Make a line, and then start counting again.”
In post 21, I suggested calculating from each possible corner to get the most compact outlying districts:
[Outlying] District creation calculations would be made from each corner of the state. The corner that results in minimal total (latitude + longitude) outlying district width would get chosen.
Another possibility is to allocate the major population centers first (say metro Pittsburgh and metro Philadelphia).
A major population center might be an area thought by the state legislature to have at least 100 100-seat or more airline flights per Monday. The criterion of having at least eight FCC licensed TV stations might be used instead.
Then if say the state has three other districts left, allocate out from the three largest metro TV station areas (say Scranton, Harrisburg and Erie).
Districts could then be minimized on the basis of minimizing the total latitudinal & longitudinal spread of districts not totally within 50 miles of a city center.
And as in post 21:
Finally, jurisdictions to get shifted between two districts at a time (without changing the districts’ latitude and longitude ratio by more than 10% each (or out to a county boundary if allowed by state law)) to minimize the number of jurisdictions contained in more than one district.
Why is TV so important? Because media buying and vote buying to get reelected are the primary concerns of members of Congress. However, TV time buying is no longer as important as it was in years past.
No system that makes it impossible for reelection campaigns to target voters will get accepted.
A lot can happen in 10 years.
“Dividing representation within a geographical area would be confusing and would lead to more problems than I think it would solve.”
The Founding Fathers wanted the House of Representatives to be highly responsive to the voters.
At the time, Congress didn’t have the effective power to tax incomes and run up debt in the tens of trillions of dollars.
At the time, Congress wasn’t elected by people on the dole.
“A lot can happen in 10 years.”
I see what can happen nearly every time I risk my life crossing a now extremely overloaded US41 here in Florida.
Blue state policies that drive residents out are putting my life at greater risk.
Glad you asked.
Get rid of the 17th amendment, let the state legislators pick the senators. What we have now is Washington DC residents representing state interests.
Double or triple the number of house representatives. With modern technology they don’t need to be in Washington DC. Or replace the capitol building with a larger building to house them. Right now a congressman represents 750k people. That is way too many.
Enact term limits. 10-12 years is plenty. The problem now is when they are bought (and most are) they stay bought.
Audit and get rid of the Federal Reserve. We don’ need a private bank controlling the nations economy.
“It should be a math exercise rather than an exercise in customizing a district so that we can be sure to get a black rep here, here, and here.”
The race issue is a smokescreen. The only real goal is to get a democrat. I am a victim of this. I am now represented by a low IQ, corrupt, liberal black male democrat because a federal judge put me 100 yards inside the new district. True story.
Thanks for all the great ideas. I think one thing we can agree on is that gerrymandering is bad.
Unconstitutional.
Districts have to be drawn by equal population.
I’m fine with geographical area as the main criteria - but with one change. No congressional district may have more than 6 sides, with a natural boundary such as a river counted as 1 side. This would stop the gerrymandered snake shaped districts.
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