Optimal Gerrymandering in a competitive environment

John Friedman and Richard Holden

Economic Theory Bulletin, 2020, vol. 8, issue 2, No 13, 347-367

Abstract: Abstract We analyze a model of optimal gerrymandering in which two parties simultaneously redistrict in a competition for influence in a legislature. Parties allocate geographic blocks to districts, in which the median voter determines the winner. The form of the optimal gerrymander involves “slices” of right-wing blocks paired with “slices” of left-wing blocks, as in Friedman and Holden (Am Econ Rev 98(1):113–144, 2008). We also show that, as one party controls the redistricting process in more states, that party designs districts such that the most extreme districts within its control become more extreme. We show that this comparative static holds for a broad class of objective functions.

Keywords: Gerrymandering; redistricting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s40505-020-00188-3

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