Public Mapping and Redistricting Reform

This concluding chapter looks at the benefits of public mapping. The public approaches redistricting from a perspective fundamentally different from that of politicians. Redistricting plans produced by the public, compared to plans adopted by redistricting authorities, are generally more politically fair, have more competitive districts, have at least the same number or more voting rights districts, are more compact, and adhere more closely to existing political boundaries. Indeed, when politicians gerrymander, they are not particularly interested in achieving any goal other than political advantage. The chapter then argues that public mapping should be a component of redistricting reform. Redistricting is an astoundingly complex problem that benefits from having more maps to help inform the range of possible policy choices. Thus, redistricting authorities should accept, consider, and be responsive to redistricting plans created by the public. Public mapping can also help inform the courts about the intent of a redistricting authority.