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One problem with this: it makes sense that district lines could be along natural (rivers, lakes, mountains) or political (towns, county) lines. Trusting a simpl
by ROFISH 11y ago
One problem with this: it makes sense that district lines could be along natural (rivers, lakes, mountains) or political (towns, county) lines. Trusting a simple line algorithm may bisect a town down the middle.
- cjensen 11y agoYep. Consider Eastern California: the Sierra Nevada runs north to south creating a natural barrier. There's a small sequence of cities east of the barrier. During the Spring and Fall campaign season, it can be literally impossible to cross that barrier: you must go a long way around or fly. The suggested algorithm would unite cities on both sides of the divide. It would be very difficult for an underfunded candidate to campaign on both sides.
- eru 11y agoThe problem with taking into account natural or political lines is that there are so many to choose from. You don't want to leave anything to choice. That's where gerrymandering comes in.