A Retrospective on Redistricting Practices and Electoral Competition in U.S. Elections
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12761069 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jamie L Carson (0000-0002-0083-5206, corresponding author), David Cottrell (0000-0001-8674-0955), Ryan D Williamson (0000-0001-5235-0967, University of Wyoming) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 23-40 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-19 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | State Politics & Policy Quarterly (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1532-4400 • E-ISSN: 1946-1607 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/spq.2025.10014 |
| OpenAlex | W4417496884 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 87 |
Redistricting plays a critical role in structuring the competitive terrain of American elections and shaping the quality of democratic representation. While often viewed as a routine administrative task, the redrawing of electoral boundaries is a deeply political process that can significantly influence who runs for office, who wins, and how voters are represented. This article examines the relationship between redistricting and electoral competition, with a particular focus on how partisan gerrymandering, legal rulings, and institutional reforms have influenced the fairness and integrity of the redistricting process. Tracing its historical roots and evolution, the analysis explores how legislatures, courts, and independent commissions construct district maps and the downstream effects these configurations have on incumbent entrenchment, voter behavior, and partisan polarization. By investigating the trade-offs between fair representation and competitive elections, this article illuminates how institutional design choices shape electoral outcomes and democratic legitimacy. In doing so, it underscores the enduring significance of redistricting as a source of political contestation and reform in the ongoing struggle to strengthen American democracy
Competition (biology · Democracy · Electoral geography · Gerrymandering · Politics · Quality (philosophy · Redistricting · Representation (politics · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Judicial and Constitutional Studies · Policy Transfer and Learning
Elbridge Gerry's Salamander
Party Polarization in Congress
The Paradox of Representation
Redistricting, Candidate Entry, and the Politics of Nineteenth‐Century U.S. House Elections
Race, Redistricting, and Representation
The Hardest Path to Reelection
Unintentional Gerrymandering
Redistricting and the 2022 Congressional Midterm Elections
Maga Trumps the Incumbency Advantage in a Dueling Incumbent Primary
Redistricting and Incarceration
Is Gerrymandering Poisoning the Well of Democracy? Evaluating the Relationship between Redistricting and Citizens’ Attitudes
The hidden subsidies of rural prisons
Traditional Districting Principles
Political polarization, congressional redistricting, and trade liberalization
Stranger Danger
Dueling incumbent primaries in U.S. House elections
Redistricting and Party Polarization in the U.S. House of Representatives
The Variable Incumbency Advantage
The Redistricting Cycle and Strategic Candidate Decisions in U.S. House Races
Static Ambition in a Changing World
Serving Two Masters
Using Computer Simulations to Measure the Effect of Gerrymandering on Electoral Competition in the U.S. Congress
Evaluating partisan gains from Congressional gerrymandering
Separating Partisanship from Party in Judicial Research
Measuring Compactness and the Role of a Compactness Standard in a Test for Partisan and Racial Gerrymandering
The Rising Incumbent Reelection Rate
Gerrymandering Incumbency
Institutional Control of Redistricting and the Geography of Representation
Does the Creation of Majority Black Districts Aid Republicans? An Analysis of the 1992 Congressional Elections in Eight Southern States
It’s Nothing Personal
Redistricting and the Causal Impact of Race on Voter Turnout
Redistricting Principles and Racial Representation
A Comparative Analysis of Redistricting Institutions in the United States, 2001-02
Reevaluating the Effects of Redistricting on Electoral Competition, 1972–2012
The Redistricting Cycle, Partisan Tides, and Party Strategy in State Legislative Elections
The Pseudoparadox of Partisan Mapmaking and Congressional Competition
Party Over Principles
The Effects of Non-Legislative Approaches to Redistricting on Competition in Congressional Elections
Strategic Voting and Legislative Redistricting Reform
The Paradox of Redistricting
Redistricting and Individual Contributions to Congressional Candidates
Competing Criteria
The Influence of Partisanship, Ideology, and the Law on Redistricting Decisions in the Federal Courts
Carving Voters Out
Citizen Assessment of Electoral Reforms
Does Partisan Self-interest Dictate Support for Election Reform? Experimental Evidence on the Willingness of Citizens to Alter the Costs of Voting for Electoral Gain
A New Approach for Developing Neutral Redistricting Plans
Cause or Effect? Turnout in Hispanic Majority-Minority Districts
Measuring the Compactness of Legislative Districts
The Strategic Use of Prisons in Partisan Gerrymandering
Competition, Representation and Redistricting
The Effect of Core Values on Support for Electoral Reform
The Intersection of Redistricting, Race, and Participation
Does Gerrymandering Cause Polarization
The Participatory Effects of Redistricting
Old Voters, New Voters, and the Personal Vote
Are Mapmakers Able to Target and Protect Congressional Incumbents
The Mask of Neutrality
Ideological representation and competitive congressional elections
The Relationship between Seats and Votes in Two-Party Systems
When does redistricting matter? Changing conditions and their effects on voter turnout
Do Majority-Minority Districts Maximize Substantive Black Representation in Congress
On the Decline of Competition in Congressional Elections
The Mobilizing Effect of Majority-Minority Districts on Latino Turnout
Enhancing Democracy Through Legislative Redistricting
Stacking the States, Stacking the House
Democratic Representation and Partisan Bias in Congressional Elections
Shifting Power
Seats and votes
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |