G

errymandering is, unfortunately, an important part of politics in the United States. The simplest explanation of gerrymandering is when political district boundaries are drawn in a state to benefit one party. The result of such activity is a map of congressional districts that looks more like marble-rye bread than an equal distribution of representatives based simply on geography.

What does this mean in terms of concrete numbers? According to PBS “NewsHour,” the Cook Political Report estimates that only 25 of the upcoming 435 House of Representatives races are “truly competitive.”

While some states have less-biased districts than others, gerrymandering is a problem that essentially spans the country. It is perhaps worst, however, in Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District.

“NewsHour” did research on the district and estimates that it would take an entire tank of gas — or a boat — to make it across the entirety of Maryland’s winding and weaving 3rd. And it doesn’t’ stop there for Maryland. In 2014, according to PBS, Democrats won 57 percent of the vote but somehow captured seven of the eight seats available in the state.

In most states, the state Legislature has control over the drawing of congressional districts, and that’s a problem. The Daily Iowan Editorial Board believes it’s time to do away with gerrymandering and the partisan control over district drawing. But, of course, as with any other deeply engrained piece of U.S. politics, it will be close to impossible for that to happen, or so it seems.

The term “gerrymander” dates back to 1812, when Elbridge Gerry, then governor of Massachusetts, created a redistricting plan that ultimately handed his candidate the election through a series of silly looking districts, according to The Atlantic.

While most states have districts that only make sense to one party, some have managed to remove party politics; one of the best at this is Iowa.

According to a Boston Globe article from late 2013, Iowa’s district drawing is unique. As the Globe’s Tracy Jan explains, “Iowa mapmakers are not allowed to consider previous election results, voter registration, or even the addresses of incumbent members of Congress. No politician — not the governor, the House speaker, or Senate majority leader — is allowed to weigh in or get a sneak preview. Instead of drawing lines that favor a single political party, the Iowa mapmakers abide by nonpartisan metrics that all sides agree are fair.”

With these strict guidelines specifying how districts are drawn in Iowa, it has become an important cog in politics at both the national and local level.

The proof of how to eliminate gerrymandering is right here in Iowa, and the solution is shockingly simple. If we remove politics from the most political aspect of our society, the U.S. government becomes a government for the people by the people, as opposed to one for the people by the legislature.

There are states in the U.S. besides Iowa that avoid gerrymandering, but the reality is, it is still a major problem and is undoubtedly contributing to the decrease in government trust exhibited by many polls, including Gallup.

It’s so simple. If government (at both a federal and local level) wants to improve its relationship with U.S. citizens — as it should — then it’s time to do away with gerrymandering and party politics’ role in congressional districts.