Racial Gerrymandering

Definition

This refers to the deliberate and intentional manipulation of district boundaries so as to advantage or disadvantage certain racial or ethnic groups politically.

Related terms

Partisan Gerrymandering: The practice of dividing a region into electoral districts with the aim of giving one political party an unfair advantage over its rivals.

Baker v. Carr (1962): A landmark Supreme Court case that decided redistricting issues present justiciable questions, thus enabling federal courts to intervene in and decide redistricting cases.

Shaw v. Reno (1993): A Supreme Court case ruling that redistricting based on race must be held under strict scrutiny under equal protection clause.