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Simple English definitions for legal terms
jurisdictional gerrymandering
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A quick definition of jurisdictional gerrymandering:
Jurisdictional gerrymandering is when a group of people divide a place, like a school district or voting area, into smaller parts to give one group an unfair advantage. This is done by making the parts of the area uneven or irregular in shape. It's like playing a game and changing the rules to make sure one team always wins. This is not fair and can hurt democracy.
A more thorough explanation:
Jurisdictional gerrymandering is the practice of dividing any geographical or jurisdictional area into political units, such as school districts, to give some group a special advantage. This is done by manipulating the boundaries of the districts to favor one political party or group over another.
For example, a school district may be redrawn to include only wealthy neighborhoods, effectively excluding lower-income families from having a say in school board elections. This gives the wealthy families an unfair advantage in shaping education policy.
Jurisdictional gerrymandering can also occur in other areas, such as redrawing voting districts to dilute the voting power of certain groups or to concentrate their power in a particular area.
Overall, jurisdictional gerrymandering undermines the principles of fair representation and equal access to political power. It is a controversial practice that has been challenged in courts and legislatures across the country.