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from the the-simple-answer-is-that-there-isn't-a-simple-solution dept.
The problems of gerrymandering are manifold, often debated and lamented. Now, a group of computational geometers from Tufts, MIT and others are working the problem from different fronts. From https://sites.tufts.edu/gerrymandr/
The Metric Geometry and Gerrymandering Group (MGGG) is a small Boston-based team of mathematicians launched by Moon Duchin of Tufts University. Our mission is to study applications of geometry and computing to U.S. redistricting. We believe that gerrymandering of all kinds is a fundamental threat to our democracy.
Our goals are:
- to pursue cutting-edge research in the practically relevant applications of geometry, topology, and computing to the redistricting problem;
- to foster collaboration with researchers in statistics, supercomputing, law, political science, and other fields;
- to facilitate direct civic engagement by training scholars from a variety of quantitative backgrounds to serve as expert witnesses and consultants in redistricting cases;
- to educate the public, both through direct outreach and by helping college and high school teachers incorporate units on voting, gerrymandering, and civil rights into the mathematics curriculum;
- to build a diverse community of mathematically inclined people around the country and give them the knowledge and the tools to hold map-drawers accountable when 2020 comes around.
And from https://sites.tufts.edu/gerrymandr/get-involved/
We are assembling a team of mathematicians, lawyers, statisticians, and active citizens of all stripes to work on practical metrics and solutions for gerrymandering in advance of the 2020 U.S. Census. If you're interested in joining our community, please fill out our Skills and Interest Inventory form.
For anyone that wants to get up to speed on this complex and important topic, https://sites.tufts.edu/gerrymandr/resources/ is a page of links to a variety of related papers and articles.
SN discussed the math of the gerrymander back in 2014,
https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=14/12/27/1148245
(Score: 3, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday July 05 2018, @09:09PM
Gerrymandering is the result of the fact that the two political parties you have in the US are just a tool of the groups who really run the joint, and they don't want complications like extra parties to have to control. This helps explain, although it is long. [princeton.edu]
This piece is a better explantion, along with one example of how you have no power. [theatlantic.com]
Pretending there is a "left" in US politics is one of the tricks the real power brokers like to use, but there is no left, just right and far right.
Oh, and gerrymandering is a solved problem, (largely) but I don't imagine the US would be prepared to look at other countries' system and adopt them, as you don't seem to see any need to actually reform your 18th century setup.