LETTER: The U.S. is not alone when it comes to gerrymandering

In Joseph Shortino’s letter from May 24 he implies that gerrymandering came along in the 1960s and was perfected by the “left,” meaning the Democrats. If that is not the case, I apologize, but this practice is almost as old as the country itself and has been widely practiced by both political parties.

It is named after Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, who created a district in the Boston area in 1812 that a newspaper cartoonist later turned into a salamander-type creature. Gerry was one of the Founding Fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence. He was Vice-President under James Madison, but died in 1814. 

Although he criticized the practice, it is unfortunate that the process of trying to skew elections seems to be the best-known part of his resume. Political parties in that time period were in a state of flux, and Wikipedia refers to him as a Democrat/Republican.

The Supreme Court determined in 1964 that the Voting Rights Act justified created “gerrymanders” that gave Black citizens a voice in Congress. Both parties have gone to court to support election districts that favor one party or another, but a recent ruling has nullified creating districts that assist in providing racial equity. This practice hurts Native Americans and Hispanics as well, but I’m not aware of any lawsuits filed on their behalf.

Just think what it means when you split an Indian Reservation in two. The United States is not alone when it comes to gerrymandering.

Sincerely,

Ed Nizalowski

Newark Valley, New York