It’s an old practice — both Democrats and Republicans have done it — but this year, the gerrymandering is taking on a new dimension across the country and particularly in North Carolina. This time, it’s being announced openly and shamelessly — with pride and fanfare — a process that undermines democracy.
The race to manipulate electoral maps
It all began with the decline in Donald Trump’s approval ratings, which signals a potential defeat at the polls next year. That could mean Republicans would lose the majority they currently enjoy in Congress. The president could have reflected and reversed some of his most unpopular policies — such as cuts to health subsidies, arbitrary tariffs, the militarization of cities, or his aggressive stance on immigration — but instead, he chose to ask Texas to manipulate its electoral maps.
Texas complied with Trump’s request, and soon after, California — a Democratic state — announced it would do the same to counterbalance that move. This week, Republican leaders in North Carolina declared that they wouldn’t be left behind and plan to vote on a new congressional district map. Senator Phil Berger said they would do so to “protect President Trump’s agenda.”
Why is gerrymandering a problem?
Redrawing electoral district maps to favor one party may secure a short-term victory, but it comes at a high cost. Many voters might begin to ask themselves: If everything is already rigged, why bother voting? The loss of confidence in elections undermines democracy, according to a recent study.
“We predict that greater instances of public corruption and electoral manipulation in a state can lead people to doubt the honesty and impartiality of election officials and the vote count,” concludes the study Corruption, Gerrymandering and Perceptions of Election Integrity: Is There More to Confidence Than Partisanship?
The research, led by political scientist Shaun Bowler of the University of California, Riverside, combined state-level measurements of public corruption and legislative electoral manipulation with individual measurements of public trust in vote counts and election officials.
The report concluded that manipulating electoral maps not only distorts congressional representation but also weakens belief in the fairness of elections — a cornerstone of democratic legitimacy.
Even for voters whose party benefits from gerrymandering, such victories can leave lasting scars on trust in future electoral processes.
Gerrymandering as policy
It is appalling to see how corruption is not only tolerated but openly promoted by the White House. The goal is no longer to win votes through better policies but rather to cheat as a campaign strategy.
It’s not too late. Voters must make their voices heard. The manipulation of electoral maps, or gerrymandering, must not be tolerated — not by one side nor the other. Lawmakers work for us, not for the president. It is we, the voters, who have the duty to stop this assault on democracy.
Find this article in Spanish here.