Gerrymandering: How drawing jagged lines can impact an election - Christina Greer
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District lines, and the groups of voters within them, may seem arbitrary, but a lot of thought (and political bickering) is put into these carefully drawn lines. From “packing” a district to “cracking” a district--learn how the shape of districts impacts political parties during election season.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Elbridge Thomas Gerry was an American statesman and diplomat. As a Democratic-Republican he was selected as the fifth Vice President of the United States. Gerry later became the ninth Governor of Massachusetts. He is known best for being the namesake of gerrymandering, a process by which electoral districts are drawn with the aim of aiding the party in power. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbridge_Gerry
Gerryminder, developed by Jeremy M. Teigen and Jeffrey A. Gilbertson, is a redistricting simulation designed for learning about congressional elections, representation, and gerrymandering. By being in a position to manipulate district lines with a measure of "fairness," Gerryminder provides an engaging, experiential way to see redistricting. http://phobos.ramapo.edu/~jteigen/gerry.html
Gerrymandering is a 2010 documentary feature film written and directed by Jeff Reichert. The film explores the historical, ethical, moral and racial problems raised by redistricting, i.e., the drawing of boundaries of electoral districts in the United States. Gerrymandering covers the history of the redistricting practice, how it is used and abused, how it benefits the two major major political parties, Democrats and Republicans. The documentary draws on the perspectives from different individuals, reporters, pundits, and politicians, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Howard Dean, Bob Graham, Lani Guiner, Ed Rollins, John Fund and Susan Lerner, and an array of lesser-known personalities. http://www.gerrymanderingmovie.com/
Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion—often following discussions, debates, or election campaigns. The Smithsonian Institute curated an exhibit that showcased the history of voting. See it here: http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/
Most states have a website that shows their district maps. Here is the one for Florida. Here is the one for New York.
Gerryminder, developed by Jeremy M. Teigen and Jeffrey A. Gilbertson, is a redistricting simulation designed for learning about congressional elections, representation, and gerrymandering. By being in a position to manipulate district lines with a measure of "fairness," Gerryminder provides an engaging, experiential way to see redistricting. http://phobos.ramapo.edu/~jteigen/gerry.html
Gerrymandering is a 2010 documentary feature film written and directed by Jeff Reichert. The film explores the historical, ethical, moral and racial problems raised by redistricting, i.e., the drawing of boundaries of electoral districts in the United States. Gerrymandering covers the history of the redistricting practice, how it is used and abused, how it benefits the two major major political parties, Democrats and Republicans. The documentary draws on the perspectives from different individuals, reporters, pundits, and politicians, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Howard Dean, Bob Graham, Lani Guiner, Ed Rollins, John Fund and Susan Lerner, and an array of lesser-known personalities. http://www.gerrymanderingmovie.com/
Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion—often following discussions, debates, or election campaigns. The Smithsonian Institute curated an exhibit that showcased the history of voting. See it here: http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/
Most states have a website that shows their district maps. Here is the one for Florida. Here is the one for New York.
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Meet The Creators
- Educator Christina Greer
- Artist Jin Kyung Myung, Suzanna Brusikiewicz
- Producer Jonathan Corbiere
- Animator Tyler Sammy
- Narrator Christina Greer
