Trivia Question: True or False: the term “Gerrymander” is a portmanteau of the name “Gerry” and the word “Salamander.”
Answer: True
Elbridge Gerry, former Vice President of the United States, was known for drawing voting districts in peculiar ways that would benefit him politically. One of his most infamous districts resembled a salamander because of how lopsided it was. Political analysts called this district the “Gerrymander” and subsequently used that term to describe other voting districts whose odd boundaries were drawn to manipulate elections.
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