Redrawing electoral maps to curb gerrymandering: a case study of New York State in 2022

Abstract

[EN] The delineation of electoral district boundaries is a fundamental component of democratic practice in the United States. However, gerrymandering—the manipulation of district boundaries to favor specific interest groups—undermines this process and often leads to contentious debates and legal battles. The primary objective of this study is to quantitatively evaluate four sets of New York State’s 2022 congressional district maps for signs of gerrymandering. These maps were proposed by the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC), the State Legislature, and the State Court, respectively. The quantitative metrics employed integrate factors such as population distribution, state boundaries, and spatial topology to assess district compactness and to identify gerrymandering. The results indicate that the Court-drawn congressional districts exhibit considerably lower levels of gerrymandering than the maps proposed by the IRC and the State Legislature, which exhibit little disparity. As the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that addressing partisan gerrymandering falls within the jurisdiction of the state, the findings of this study suggest that appointing special map masters by the State Court and reducing or eliminating the influence of political parties in redistricting could generate fairer electoral maps that promote equitable representation of the state's populace.