We are living in the era of the computer algorithm. Data science drives the global economy — to the point where, for many people, an algorithm will play a role in everything from what news articles they read to whom they will date — or even marry. So it’s no surprise that political scientists would want to use an algorithm to improve political redistricting, a process that is often distorted by partisan maneuverings.
The algorithm that could help end partisan gerrymandering
Constructing a gerrymandering measuring stick.
About 30 years before Ada Lovelace created the world’s first algorithm, a notorious political cartoon appeared in the Boston Gazette. It was inspired by a district map drawn by the Massachusetts governor at the time, Elbridge Gerry. It was clear that his intention, in shaping districts, was to sway the race to favor his Democratic-Republican Party in the senate — and his efforts resulted in some very awkwardly shaped districts. The editorial cartoon was inspired by observations that the district was shaped like a “salamander.” Thus was born the now-famous term “gerrymandering.”
Fast forward two centuries and an alarming amount of legislative power in America remains susceptible to similar kinds of manipulation. At least 33 states leave congressional or state legislative redistricting process in the hands of governors or state legislative bodies. These are partisan actors who have free rein to draw districts just about any way they see fit — and they often use that power to unfairly benefit their political party.
The Supreme Court has long recognized the potential for abuse in such systems. But the Justices have had trouble establishing an objective measure to rule on the fairness of a political map.
Professor Wendy Tam Cho of the University of Illinois set out to fix this problem. Her goal? To create a “Computational Method for Identifying Extreme Redistricting Plans,” as she put it in the subtitle of one research paper. The video above gives an overview of the process Cho proposed.
A full copy of her research paper is available here.
If you would like to know more about your state’s redistricting law, I recommend checking out this website from Justin Levitt, a professor of constitutional law at Loyola University Law School.
