Optimal redistricting under geographical constraints: Why "pack and crack" does not work

C-Tier
Journal: Economics Letters
Year: 2009
Volume: 105
Issue: 1
Pages: 93-96

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 0.5x C-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We show that optimal partisan redistricting with geographical constraints is a computationally intractable (NP-complete) problem. In particular, even when voter's preferences are deterministic, a solution is generally not obtained by concentrating opponent's supporters in "unwinnable" districts ("packing") and spreading one's own supporters evenly among the other districts in order to produce many slight marginal wins ("cracking").

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:ecolet:v:105:y:2009:i:1:p:93-96
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29