~ Local History ~ Gerrymandering happened in Revere first in 1812

By John Henry

The term “gerrymandering” is in the national news once again across the nation. In U.S. politics gerrymandering is a practice of manipulation of the boundaries of an electoral voting district or constituency, so as to favor one political party or class over another. Currently, the Texas legislature has unveiled proposed new congressional district maps, with the aim of securing more congressional seats for the Republican Party at the urging of the President. Democrats strongly oppose the changes, asserting that the proposed new districts constitute racially motivated gerrymandering.

The term was originally written as “Gerry-Mander”, which derives from the name of the 19^th century Massachusetts Governor, Elbridge Gerry, in reaction to the redrawing of Massachusetts state senatorial election districts in 1812 during Governor Gerry’s term of office. One of the new senatorial districts included the town of Chelsea, a portion of which is now Revere. The new meandering senatorial district extended from Chelsea, adjacent to Boston, all the way to the northern part of Massachusetts, to the town of Salisbury, adjacent to the New Hampshire state boundary line. The new senatorial district resembled an amphibian salamander.

The new district was satirized in a political cartoon, by Elkanah Tisdale, published in the 1812 edition of the Boston Gazette, graphically illustrating the newly created senatorial district as a mythical amphibian,” The Gerry-Mander,” forever fixing the term gerrymander in American political history to Gerry’s name negatively linking him to political power brokering.

(Editor’s Note: John J. Henry served as City Clerk of the City of Revere for 32 years, (1977 to 2009). He has written numerous articles about Revere and its people.)