Gerrymandering is the root of the mess

Gerrymandering is one of the most powerful—and least understood—ways politicians can manipulate American democracy. Redistricting wars have broken out across the United States with the latest skirmish happening right in Missouri this week. Ohio has become one of the clearest examples of how redistricting can go wrong, even after voters overwhelmingly demanded a fairer and more transparent process. Fred is joined by Rory Riley Topping and Josh Rultenberg, authors of the new book Draw the Line in Ohio: How One State’s Fight for Fair Maps Explains Gerrymandering in America, to break down how Ohio's redistricting system became so dysfunctional, how politicians use mapmaking to protect their power, and what voters can actually do to fight back. Through Rory's legal expertise and Josh's firsthand reporting from the Ohio Statehouse, they'll explain why what happened in Ohio matters far beyond Ohio—and why fair maps are fundamental to American democracy.