Princeton Gerrymandering Project Finds Fault With NJ Redistricting

The Princeton Gerrymandering Project has released an analysis of a proposed amendment to the New Jersey constitution that finds serious problems with how legislators are proposing to draw political districts far into the future.  

"This formula which seems on its face to guarantee fair elections actually doesn't do anything to prevent partisan gerrymandering," said Will Adler, a computational research specialist with The Princeton Gerrymandering Project. 

Democratic leaders in the state legislature are trying to pass a bill that would put a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot next November.

It is written so that making legislative districts more "competitive" would be required. But making districts competitive, while it sounds like a fair system, actually helps the cause of gerrymandering, Adler said.

That's because the key way politicians try to stack the deck for their party is to create districts where their candidate will win a narrow victory, Adler said. That way, the party is making the most of its statewide supporters by spreading them across more districts. 

Instead, the Princeton Gerrymandering Project suggests the rules for redistricting be based on not allowing either political party to dominate the process. Adler, and a long list of progressive organizations across New Jersey, are also concerned that the Democratic's plan would put four legislators on the redistricting commission, which they say is akin to the fox watching the henhouse.