definition is to divide the constituencies of (a voting area) so as to give one party an unfair advantage or to manipulate or adapt to one’s advantage. Gerrymandering is the process of drawing congressional districts in a way that favors one political party or interest group. The term 'gerrymandering' goes back to the 19th century. In 1812, the Boston Gazette coined the word in reaction to Massachusetts's governor Elbridge Gerry's redistricting of the Boston region. This new district was awkwardly drawn to benefit his political party and happened to look like a salamander on the map. Thus, the term 'gerrymander' was birthed as the newspaper's tongue-in-cheek response.
