Story perspectives

Maryland Redistricting: Shifted 700,000, Fuels Gerrymandering Debate

4/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

Maryland's redistricting after the 2010 census shifted over 700,000 people in the 6th congressional district.
Research shows shifts are rising, with the ratio of actual shifts to minimum balance increasing from 2.8 in 1970 to 9.4 in 2020.
Redistricting tends to favor the party in power, hindering the opposition's ability to win seats.
Independent commissions, like California's, produce less fragmented districts than legislative maps, suggesting impartial redistricting could curb gerrymandering.

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Story summary

Maryland's redistricting after the 2010 census shifted over 700,000 people in the 6th congressional district.
Research shows shifts are rising, with the ratio of actual shifts to minimum balance increasing from 2.8 in 1970 to 9.4 in 2020.
Redistricting tends to favor the party in power, hindering the opposition's ability to win seats.
Independent commissions, like California's, produce less fragmented districts than legislative maps, suggesting impartial redistricting could curb gerrymandering.