Gerrymandering Update: Blue and Red States Get Fs in Princeton Report Card

image
Published: 05 Nov, 2021
Updated: 14 Aug, 2022
2 min read

Legislatures and redistricting commissions across the United States are in the process of drawing new maps for their legislative and congressional districts, and some states have already drawn new lines to give the party in power even more of an advantage while denying voters opportunities for meaningful representation.

RepresentUs and the Princeton Gerrymandering Project have collaborated on a Redistricting Report Card so voters can get up-to-date information on new maps and what impact they will have on future elections. The report card already shows how rampant the problem of partisan gerrymandering is, and it is not limited to the machinations of one party.

Both Republicans and Democrats use the redistricting process to tilt the electoral scales even more in their favor. Oregon and Illinois, the legislatures of which are controlled by Democrats, both received an overall “F” for their congressional maps. Texas and Wisconsin, both of which are controlled by Republicans, have flunked as well.

The report card looks at three different metrics for maps: partisan fairness, competitiveness, and geographic features, which examines the size, shape, and jurisdictions included in a district. The biggest impact on the overall score, however, is partisan fairness. If a state gets an “F” on that, they fail.

In the case of Illinois, the Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave its congressional maps an “F” across the board. In Texas, the congressional map received an “F” in partisan fairness, a “C” in competitiveness, and another “F” for geographic features

Not all states, however, have performed poorly. The states that have fared best in the report card tend to be the ones that have adopted a citizen-led or independent redistricting commission. Congressional maps approved by independent redistricting commissions in Arizona and Colorado, for instance, got an “A” overall.

The Arizona map was recently approved by the state’s supreme court. The Colorado map is currently undergoing a 30-day public comment period before final adoption.

RepresentUs, the nation’s largest anti-corruption organization, new analysis that further demonstrates how states with commissions, particularly independent commissions, have drawn or are drawing fairer electoral maps this redistricting cycle. Further, the group found that states like Colorado and Arizona had minimal gerrymandering risk because the commissions in these states were set up to prevent partisan bias.

There are 23 states that have redistricting commissions. Seven of these states have independent commissions and eight have advisory commissions. So far this cycle, states with any type of commission are averaging a “B+” overall grade, according to the Princeton Gerrymandering Project’s metrics. Meanwhile, legislature-drawn maps are averaging a “D-.”

IVP Donate

For more updates on the 2021 redistricting process, check out the full redistricting report card here.

Latest articles

10 reasons nothing ever gets done on the border
10 Reasons Nothing Ever Gets Done on the Border Crisis
ICE raids, Los Angeles riots, “No King” protests. It’s all people can talk about these days as immigration is front and center in the American social and political zeitgeist. For many voters, this all may seem familiar....
13 Jun, 2025
-
11 min read
I voted sticker being put on someone.
Republican Joins Democrats in Maine to Give Voters More Choice
Showing an independent streak in keeping with Maine’s political tradition, Sen. Rick Bennett (R–Oxford) broke ranks with his party this week to join 91 Democrats in supporting a bill that would finally fulfill the will of Maine voters: implementing ranked choice voting (RCV) in all state general elections....
13 Jun, 2025
-
7 min read
How It Really Works Health Care Behind Bars
Health Care Behind Bars - How It Really Works
The health care crisis behind bars affects two distinct but deeply connected groups: incarcerated individuals and correctional officers. While incarcerated people are constitutionally entitled to care, access remains inconsistent, and most enter custody with significant medical and mental health needs. They face higher rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, and psychiatric conditions than the general public....
12 Jun, 2025
-
20 min read