---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed…"
description: "\"Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed to be used to reflect the changing geography to ensure representation. But we know that politics gets involve..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/wayne-messam-10964_control_gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-suppose_2326799.jpg"
---

#  Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed to be used to…

![“Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed to be used to reflect the changing geography to ensure representation. But we know that politics gets involved and it's used to benefit whoever's in control. That's the problem we have with gerrymandering.” quote by Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/wayne-messam-10964_control_gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-suppose_2326799.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/wayne-messam-10964_control_gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-suppose_2326799.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/wayne-messam-10964_control_gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-suppose_2326799.jpg)

> “Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed to be used to reflect the changing geography to ensure representation. But we know that politics gets involved and it's used to benefit whoever's in control. That's the problem we have with gerrymandering.”

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Gerrymandering claims to match districts to population shifts but is often manipulated for partisan advantage, undermining fair representation.

**In simple terms:** It should reflect people, but is used for power.

Key Takeaway

Demand transparent, independent redistricting.

Themes

politics fairness representation power manipulation

Mood

frustrated concerned

Type

analytical critical

When to use this quote

- legislative reform
- voter advocacy
- court challenges
- public awareness

Key Concepts

gerrymandering democratic integrity electoral systems

Questions to Reflect On

- How can citizens ensure redistricting remains impartial?
- What safeguards best prevent partisan abuse?

A Different Perspective

Redistricting can still be biased despite rules.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Changing Geography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-geography-1270392/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Geography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geography/) [Gerrymandering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gerrymandering/) [Gerrymandering Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gerrymandering-essence-5582798/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem Gerrymandering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-gerrymandering-5582799/) [Representation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representation/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/)

## Related quotes

> [Even people who aren't engaged on the actual battlefield - the effects of war reach out like tentacles into families, into economies, into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cole/even-people-who-aren-t-engaged-on-the-actual-battlefield-the-effects/)

[Gary Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cole/)

> [Millennial voters are very concerned about climate change and will vote for candidates who are planning to address it. But the systems that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/millennial-voters-are-very-concerned-about-climate-change-and-will/)

[Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/)

> [We always look at gerrymandering and what it has done to voting in America, but what I realized the other day is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/we-always-look-at-gerrymandering-and-what-it-has-done-to-voting-in/)

[Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/)

> [It doesn't entirely make sense that if 51 senators are from one party, and they can stick together, they can do whatever they want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/it-doesn-t-entirely-make-sense-that-if-51-senators-are-from-one-party/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [Fighting gerrymandering is one thing. The other thing is insuring we have the right candidates for the people and not the right candidates for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/fighting-gerrymandering-is-one-thing-the-other-thing-is-insuring-we/)

[Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/)

> [“We have already described the gatherings of the popular comitia; but that clumsy assembly in sheep pens does not convey the full extent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/we-have-already-described-the-gatherings-of-the-popular-comitia-but/)

[H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/)

> [“Gerrymandering isn’t just a recent phenomenon, though; the word was coined in 1812 when Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry went to such egregious lengths to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/gerrymandering-isn-t-just-a-recent-phenomenon-though-the-word-was/)

[Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/)

> [Political gerrymandering makes the incentive for most members of Congress to play to the extremes of their base rather than to the center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/political-gerrymandering-makes-the-incentive-for-most-members-of/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Since 2000, Republican policies have suppressed Democratic voting; since 2010, Republican gerrymandering has given the Republicans a heavy systematic advantage in Congress; and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/since-2000-republican-policies-have-suppressed-democratic-voting/)

[Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/)

> [“She was from the wrong side of the tracks no matter how you gerrymandered the town.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lileks/she-was-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks-no-matter-how-you/)

[James Lileks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lileks/)

> [California is among several states that already have fought their way out from under partisan gerrymandering by taking line-drawing authority away from the Legislature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-swalwell/california-is-among-several-states-that-already-have-fought-their-way/)

[Eric Swalwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-swalwell/)

> [“Yes, the elections aren't free and fair. Yes, the 'first past the post' system, coupled with delineation of constituencies and gerrymandering, is a problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-yap/yes-the-elections-aren-t-free-and-fair-yes-the-first-past-the-post/)

[Brian Yap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-yap/)

> [“The Republican Party's gerrymandering efforts were also having unintended consequences. For years the party had poured resources into state legislatures in order to redraw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/the-republican-party-s-gerrymandering-efforts-were-also-having/)

[Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/)

> [“the gerrymandering of 2010 had created what Ryan Lizza of The New Yorker called a “historical oddity.” Political extremists now had no incentive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-gerrymandering-of-2010-had-created-what-ryan-lizza-of-the-new/)

[Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/)

> [Even in Madison's day, the practice of gerrymandering for partisan advantage was familiar. In the late seventeen-eighties, there were claims that Patrick Henry had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-toobin/even-in-madison-s-day-the-practice-of-gerrymandering-for-partisan/)

[Jeffrey Toobin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-toobin/)

## More by Wayne Messam

> [Until we address the pervasive structural and interpersonal threats facing communities of color, we will remain unequipped to make equity a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/until-we-address-the-pervasive-structural-and-interpersonal-threats/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [Young people across the country have grown up traumatized by the gun violence epidemic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/young-people-across-the-country-have-grown-up-traumatized-by-the-gun/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [I see that that 'American dream' is slipping away because we're not solving the problems of today, we're not planning for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/i-see-that-that-american-dream-is-slipping-away-because-we-re-not/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [Black Americans have organized all across this country because we have an unequal justice system, not because anyone demands special privileges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/black-americans-have-organized-all-across-this-country-because-we/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [Wayne Messam does not have any financial problems and is a classic American Success Story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/wayne-messam-does-not-have-any-financial-problems-and-is-a-classic/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [Our kids fear going to school in the morning, and their parents worry whether they will come home safely at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/our-kids-fear-going-to-school-in-the-morning-and-their-parents-worry/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [What does Washington experience have to do with meeting the needs of the American people?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/what-does-washington-experience-have-to-do-with-meeting-the-needs-of/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [I do not believe that the best ideas come from Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/i-do-not-believe-that-the-best-ideas-come-from-washington/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [It is morally wrong for this country to require our citizens to take on tens of thousands of dollars of debt to achieve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/it-is-morally-wrong-for-this-country-to-require-our-citizens-to-take/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [Everyday people are graduating from universities with crippling debt, stifling their opportunity for financial mobility, that is what's broken with this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/everyday-people-are-graduating-from-universities-with-crippling-debt/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [When you think about the progress and the progressive issues we are tackling and solving in Miramar, I'm looking to take these issues nationally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/when-you-think-about-the-progress-and-the-progressive-issues-we-are/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [I'm sensitive to the resources needed by a small business to get started and keep going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/i-m-sensitive-to-the-resources-needed-by-a-small-business-to-get/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [Black lives matter' doesn't mean that all lives do not matter, rather it is a cry for equal treatment in the greater circle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/black-lives-matter-doesn-t-mean-that-all-lives-do-not-matter-rather/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [I feel that this nation should open its doors to any person that would like to contribute to this society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/i-feel-that-this-nation-should-open-its-doors-to-any-person-that/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

> [Miramar took jobs away from China; usually the jobs leave the U.S. and go to China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/miramar-took-jobs-away-from-china-usually-the-jobs-leave-the-u-s-and/)

[Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

[Explore all 62 Wayne Messam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/)

## More Control quotes

> [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/)

[Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/)

> [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/)

[Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/)

> [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/)

[Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/)

> [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/)

[Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/)

> [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/)

[Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/)

> [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/)

[Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/)

> [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/)

[Thomas Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-miller/)

> [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/)

[John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/)

> [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/)

[Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/)

> [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/)

[Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/)

> [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/)

[Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/)

> [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/)

[Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/)

> [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/)

[Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/)

> [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/)

[David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/)

> [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/)

[William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/)

[Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed to be used to reflect the changing geography to ensure representation. But we know that politics gets involved and it's used to benefit whoever's in control. That's the problem we have with gerrymandering.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Wayne Messam"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-supposed-to-be-used-to-reflect-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Control"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-supposed-to-be-used-to-reflect-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/wayne-messam-10964_control_gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-suppose_2326799.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/wayne-messam-10964_control_gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-suppose_2326799.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/wayne-messam-10964_control_gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-suppose_2326799.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed to be used to reflect the changing geography to ensure…” — Wayne Messam",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Wayne Messam",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Gerrymandering at its essence is supposed...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-supposed-to-be-used-to-reflect-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/gerrymandering-at-its-essence-is-supposed-to-be-used-to-reflect-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
