What is "gerrymandering"?

Gerrymandering refers specifically to the practice of manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one political party an advantage over others. This can involve either concentrating opposition voters into a few districts (known as "packing") or dispersing them across many districts to dilute their voting power (referred to as "cracking"). Essentially, gerrymandering skews the representation in legislative bodies so that the distribution of voters does not fairly reflect the overall voting preferences of the population.

The other options do not accurately characterize gerrymandering. For example, electing representatives fairly would imply neutral and fair districting practices, which gerrymandering actively undermines. Similarly, while redistricting is a related concept, it encompasses a broader process that should ideally maintain fairness and equality rather than serving the interests of a specific party. Finally, techniques for voter registration deal with the process of enrolling voters, which is distinct from how electoral district boundaries are drawn and manipulated. Thus, the definition of gerrymandering as the practice of drawing boundaries to benefit a particular political party is precise and accurate.