I am a former two-term local elected official from a county near Clarke (Jasper) who was victimized by political opponents employing ridiculous gerrymandering of districts after the 2010 Census, the last time it was done. My nonsensical district looked like a horseshoe.
More importantly, gerrymandering is one of the key reasons our great nation is so politically divided. By making a district either overwhelmingly Republican or overwhelmingly Democrat, politicians who dwell in the swamp protect themselves and radicalize politics. There is no need to appeal to the middle, just your base. That is true whether on the local, state or national level.
If you want to see who these swamp dwellers are, just find out who was on the committees doing the redistricting: the redistricting committees of the state House and Senate. In every case, you will find them in a strangely drawn district, often dividing cities or counties in half.
These districts are designed not to reflect the will of the voters, but rather to keep themselves and their fellow good old boys in office. Before the 2018 election, see who was on the 2010 committees, and if they are still in office, make sure you vote against them.
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