racial gerrymandering

politics

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July 16, 2026

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Racial gerrymandering is a practice in U.S. politics where electoral district boundaries are drawn to dilute the voting power of racial or ethnic minority groups. This manipulation of district lines can make it harder for these groups to elect representatives of their choice.12

The term "gerrymander" originated in 1812 from Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, whose administration created oddly shaped districts to favor his party. While partisan gerrymandering aims to give one political party an advantage, racial gerrymandering specifically targets minority voting strength.21

The U.S. Supreme Court has addressed racial gerrymandering, ruling that it violates the Voting Rights Act and the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment when race is the predominant factor in drawing district lines. However, distinguishing between racial and political gerrymandering can be complex, as race and party affiliation are often correlated.23

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legislative apportionment
…States undertook what amounted to racial gerrymandering to preserve the integrity and power of special-interest blocs of voters in large cities and other regions and to increase minority representation. However, the Supreme Court subsequently invalidated several racially gerrymandered majority-minority congressional districts and ruled that race could not be the determining…
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…States undertook what amounted to racial gerrymandering to preserve the integrity and power of special-interest blocs of voters in large cities and other regions and to increase minority representation. However, the Supreme Court subsequently invalidated several racially gerrymandered majority-minority congressional districts and ruled that race could not be the determining…
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Major Supreme Court Cases from the 2025–26 Term
Oral arguments before the Court
…amounted to an act of racial gerrymandering against “non-African American” citizens, in violation of both the Fourteenth Amendment—which guarantees equal protection under the law—and the Fifteenth Amendment—which prohibits the denial of the right to vote on the basis of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The creation of the…
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…amounted to an act of racial gerrymandering against “non-African American” citizens, in violation of both the Fourteenth Amendment—which guarantees equal protection under the law—and the Fifteenth Amendment—which prohibits the denial of the right to vote on the basis of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The creation of the…
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