Cracking

Definition

After each census, based on their population, states are allotted a certain number of Congressional districts which state legislatures then draw into districts. “Cracking” refers to the gerrymandering practice of spreading voters of a particular group or party across multiple electoral districts in order to dilute their voting power and prevent them from constituting a majority in any one district. This tactic is used to skew election outcomes in favor of the party orchestrating the redistricting. Cracking differs from “Packing,” which is the attempt to concentrate as many voters of one party as possible into a single district.

Example

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Questions

1. When do states get their allotments of congressional districts?

2. What entity in each state is responsible for drawing congressional districts?

3. How does cracking related to drawing congressional districts?

4. What is the difference between packing and cracking?

5. Is cracking illegal?

6. A Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that has three lines. It has five syllables in the first and third lines. It has seven syllables in the second line. Its lines don't rhyme. Write a Haiku about cracking that you can share with older family members.

7. Are you in a packed congressional district?

8. What is the relationship between cracking and gerrymandering.

9. Members of he band Khruangbin -which is Thai for airplane - now live in three states: Texas, California, and New York. Would it be fair to say that Khruangbin has been cracked?

10. Why aren’t all districts packed or cracked?

Remember!

Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw cracking. Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.

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