Written by Neil Horsky in the February issue of the Boston Compass

On February 12, 1812 Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry signed a bill redrawing Essex County’s voting districts to aid his Jefhttps://bostonhassle.com/?p=2088252&preview=truefersonian-Republican Party over the rival Federalist Party in the upcoming election. The new boundaries concentrated Federalist voters into one district whiled giving Republican voters a slight majority in several others, ensuring more seats in the State legislature for the Republicans.

Once word of the rigged bill began to spread from Beacon Hill, a political cartoonist caught wind and drew his own map of the new oddly shaped districts. He illustratively embellished district borders to resemble a profile of the mythical winged fire-lizard “salamander,” and comically named it the “Gerry-Mander.”

The Boston Gazette published the cartoon map a month later, further fueling a public critique of Gerry’s corruption. As yet another example of art’s power to capture and expand public consciousness, the practice of corrupt redistricting has henceforth carried the name: gerrymandering.