Which politician is the word “gerrymander” named after?

Gerrymandering is a conniving political practice which attempts to establish an advantage for a particular party or group, by manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts.

In addition to achieving desired election results for a certain party, the practice can be used to help or hinder a particular demographic, such as a political, ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, or class group. Gerrymandering can also serve to protect incumbents, and has been described as “politicians picking their voters instead of voters picking their politicians”. The term has negative connotations, and is considered to be a corruption of the democratic process.

Not unlike political corruption, the word is centuries old. It refers to founding father Elbridge Gerry. As Massachusetts governor, Gerry signed off on a redistricting plan in 1812 which would keep his Democratic-Republican party in power against the Federalists.

On a map, one of the newly-formed districts in the Boston area was contorted, and resembled a salamander. One common story claims that a newspaper editor posted a map with the newly drawn districts on his wall, and another remarked that Gerry’s oddly shaped district looked like a salamander; hence the term “Gerrymander”.

Historians believe the editors coined the term, although historical records do not show definitive evidence. We do know for sure that Gerry was lampooned in a political cartoon using the term, which was first published in March of 1812.