Congressional Redistricting and 2006 Election

Stuart Taylor moderated a panel discussion on ways in which the 2006 election results will be affected by congressional redistricting. Panel members explained that the ‘gerrymandering’ of some districts is designed to provide an electoral advantage to certain political parties and incumbents, or to disadvantage racial groups. Topics included the negative aspects of “safe” congressional seats, uncompetitive elections, extreme partisan polarization, incentives for gerrymandering, and the significance of black majority districts. They predicted a change to a Democratic majority in Congress after the November 7 elections. After the discussion the panelists responded to audience members' questions.

This discussion is one of a series of Brookings Judicial Issues Forums on the polarization of American politics.

Thomas Mann has written the chapter on gerrymandering in the forthcoming book, Red and Blue Nation? Characteristics and Causes of America’s Polarized Politics, to be published close