Gerrymandering: a process by which politicians change district lines to give their political party an advantage in future elections. To put it in everyday terms, it would be like playing a game of Risk, but every time you play it’s a new map with new borders.

Every 10 years in Wisconsin the party and politicians in power have the ability to change district lines to better favor their party’s re-election in subsequent races. In reality, these 10-year changes are meant to change according to population changes within the state of Wisconsin. But like everything else involving government, political parties try and manipulate them into a tool they can use to win elections.

In Wisconsin, challenges to redistricting done by Republicans in 2011 are moving forward in the courts as Democrats continue their legal challenge. What’s most surprising about this though is the fact that instruments and political mechanisms allow for this to occur. 

The fact that it is still possible to gerrymander is disheartening. Gerrymandering began in 1812 when Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a law into existence that reshaped Massachusetts districts in a way that clearly favored Gerry’s party. So, according to my math, the U.S. has had more than 200 years to rid itself of this obviously nondemocratic practice.

But here we are. It’s 2016, gerrymandering is still an issue and the mechanisms that allow gerrymandering to occur still survive. It is time for that to change. Redistricting needs to not be determined by whoever is in control of the state Legislature every 10 years. America was set up in a way so we did not have to entrust anything to just one man or woman or one political party. It was set up to be fair. What is currently going on every 10 years is anything but fair.

Redistricting is meant to make sure people are better represented, not cornered off into districts meant to restrict their voice.

Redistricting needs to be something done by a state agency that has no political affiliation compared to the current system where the majority party of the state Legislature draws the districts. This is majority rules, minority rights, a founding principle of this nation.

Since 1981, Iowa has had a nonpartisan commission handle redistricting. This kind of nonpartisan redistricting allows for more competitive elections as candidates have to appeal to a broader range of voters. In states with heavy amounts of gerrymandering, candidates can just appeal to their voting base and ignore other voters who are constrained to districts meant to make their vote meaningless. It is supposed to be a model for other states, but clearly other states have not picked up on this practice.

It seems simple, and you’d think the people you elect could be trusted to not cheat their way to re-election and rig the system to favor their political party they affiliate with. Clearly though we cannot trust them, as they use their power bestowed on them to rig the game. It is time to stop using an archaic system of redistricting and progress to become a more democratic state, with better systems that help the people have more power.

Instead though we have had 200 years of politicians and their parties toying with district lines and toying with our democracy. We have had 200 years of the Supreme Court deciding not to hand a decisive ruling that ended gerrymandering once and for all. For 200 years we have had people undermining our democracy, and this needs to stop.

Luke Schaetzel ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in political science and journalism.