Gerrymandering is an age-old American political pastime. For as long as there have been partisans in our country (see: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams), there have been state-level political actors intent on gaming the system to their respective party’s national benefit. In fact, Colorado would possibly look a lot different politically had a fight against this exact kind of action gone a different way.

Indeed, the word “gerrymander” was coined by a cartoonist at the Boston Gazette in 1812. That year, Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry ordered the redistricting of his state to benefit his political party. The cartoonist birthed the term by combining “Gerry” with “salamander,” which one of the more creatively carved districts resembled. Americans have enjoyed the colorful term ever since.

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