The Gerrymander Wars

Inside the Battle for Fair Maps  Gerrymandering isn’t just a political buzzword—it’s the practice of manipulating voting district boundaries to predetermine election outcomes, and it’s happening in states across America right now to stack the deck in favor of the people in power. In this episode, Dr. Kristin Lyerly sits down with Mark Gaber, Senior Director of Redistricting at the Campaign Legal Center, to break down the current battles over fair maps. From landmark cases in Texas and California to emerging fights in Indiana and Illinois, Mark walks us through how partisan gerrymandering undermines democracy, what’s being done to stop it, and where fair maps have won in the past (hint: Michigan and Wisconsin, at least for now). You’ll learn: How gerrymandering actually works and why both parties do it The legal strategies being used to challenge unfair maps in court What role technology and AI might play in creating neutral districts Why the Midwest is becoming the next major battleground for redistricting What everyday citizens can do to demand fair representation Whether you’re new to redistricting or following these cases closely, this conversation offers critical insight into one of the most consequential—and least understood—threats to American democracy. Credits: Producer: Abraham Lyerly Music: Nic Tierman & Abraham Lyerly Guests: Mark Gaber