Elbridge who? How the name of a forgotten founder lives on in the word 'gerrymander'

Elbridge Gerry was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Massachusetts. In 1812, he approved a state legislative redistricting map that concentrated opposition party voters into fewer districts, allowing his party to win more seats with fewer total votes. A newspaper published a satirical cartoon of the map's outline, labeling it a "gerrymander" — a combination of Gerry's name and the salamander-like shape of one district. The term has remained in use for over two centuries to describe the practice of redrawing electoral districts for political advantage.

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