BTRTN: On Gerrymandering
The numbers folks at BTRTN explain the latest in the gerrymandering battles, with words, numbers and maps. And even a few laughs, mostly at the expense of the perpetrators.
http://www.borntorunthenumbers.com/2018/01/btrtn-on-gerrymandering.html
"But the North Carolinians made it easy on the courts. In what amounts to an admission of guilt, North Carolina redistricting chief Rep. David Lewis stated the following: "I think electing Republicans is better than electing Democrats. So I drew this map to help foster what I think is better for the country." And when asked why he drew the map with the goal of the GOP winning 10 of the state’s 13 districts – obviously unbalanced in this true "battleground" state -- Lewis said "because I do not believe it's possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats." Willy Sutton could not have given a more direct and damning reply. (Sutton is the gentleman who, when asked why he robbed banks for a living, said with disarming clarity "because that's where the money is."
Let’s illustrate this “invidious partisanship” with some numbers and maps. The chart below shows that, overall (the purple line), in North Carolina the GOP totaled 2.4 million statewide votes across 13 elections for the House in 2016, while the Dems garnered 2.1 million votes, a relatively close 53% to 47% margin. Had House seats been apportioned simply on this overall vote, the GOP would have earned seven seats to the Democrats’ six. But because the map was drawn so cleverly, to maximize each GOP vote and minimize each Dem vote, those Dem votes were largely shoved into three districts, the 1st, 4th and 12th, where the Dems won handily, siphoning off votes from the other districts, which the GOP won, also handily..."
