The term “gerrymandering” refers to the modification of election district boundaries for political purposes. It is the purposeful drafting of electoral district borders to assist a certain political party or group by concentrating or diluting the voting power of specific demographics or communities.
The term “gerrymandering” was first used in the early nineteenth century, when Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts signed a redistricting plan that favored his party. One of the districts established by this plan was reported to resemble a salamander, resulting in the combination “Gerry” + “salamander” = “gerrymander.”