Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: CRACKING
Definition: Cracking is a way of dividing a group of people who live in the same area and have similar beliefs or backgrounds into different voting districts. This is done to weaken their political power by spreading them out across multiple districts instead of allowing them to have a strong voice in one district. It is like breaking a puzzle into smaller pieces to make it easier to solve, but in this case, it is done to manipulate elections.
Definition: Cracking is a political strategy where a group of people who live in the same area and have similar beliefs or backgrounds are divided into different voting districts. This is done to weaken their voting power and make it harder for them to elect a candidate who represents their interests.
Example: Let's say there is a city with a large Hispanic population. The city council decides to redraw the voting districts so that the Hispanic population is split up and spread across several districts. This makes it harder for the Hispanic community to elect a representative who understands their needs and concerns.
Explanation: By dividing the Hispanic population into different districts, their voting power is diluted. Instead of being a majority in one district, they are now a minority in several districts. This makes it harder for them to elect a candidate who represents their interests because they are now spread out and have less influence in each district.