Politics with Paul
Politics with Paul
Approachable, nonpartisan, and nonideological analysis of various political topics by nonpartisan political analyst, writer, researcher, and speaker Paul Rader.
Paul Rader
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Politics with Paul #29: Gerrymandering w/ Special Guest Mary Noone

E30 • Mar 4, 2025 • 51 mins

Gerrymandering, the deliberate redrawing of legislative district lines to unfairly benefit a party or politician, is a serious problem that negatively impacts Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. It is often described as "politicians choosing voters" instead of the way it should be, "voters choosing politicians." On today's episode, our guest Mary Noone, a seasoned campaign strategist and advocate, discusses her insight into the issue of gerrymandering, including how it impacts voter participation, how the courts have handled it, and steps we can start taking to mitigate the problem. Today's random question of the day: What superpower would you choose?

Key Points

  • Among gerrymandering's negative impacts are a reduction in voter turnout and participation in the political process by creating a sense of voter apathy and disempowerment.
  • There are several different methods states employ to redraw congressional and state legislative district lines: The state legislatures themselves, outside commissions (which might or might not have politicians), and a combination of both.
  • Effective solutions to gerrymandering require grassroots efforts, voter education, and continuous challenges to entrenched political power to restore democratic processes.
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Speakers

Paul Rader

Host • 31%

Mary Noone

Guest • 69%

Chapters

0:00
Introduction of Mary Noone and Today's Topic
1:56
Examples of Gerrymandering Mary has Seen
4:34
"Packing" vs. "Fracking": Is One Worse than the Other?
9:32
How Do We Identify Gerrymandered Districts?
14:34
Are Partisan Political Views Shaping Where People Move?
16:41
The Effects of Gerrymandering on Voter Participation
20:23
Have the Courts Handled Gerrymandering Sufficiently?
27:31
Is There A State that Handles Redistricting Well?
32:48
How Do You Make Sure a Redistricting Commission is Unbiased?
34:44
Steps We Can Take to Make Gerrymandering Less Common
39:17
Disincentivizing Gerrymandering for Politicians
43:13
Final Thoughts on Gerrymandering
45:54
Random Question of the Day: What Superpower Would You Have?
49:13
My Links and Mary Noone's Links

Transcript

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