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8.A. - Page 36 of 48 <br />2 <br />Redistrictingonline I:::�4 <br />Contact Law Video Library Basics Prol: <br />What are Traditional <br />Redistricting Principles? <br />• Standard redistricting principles can be a best practice or a an actual legal requirement. <br />• All 50 states include at least one of these principles in their state constitution. <br />Go to Page 2 <br />Since the decennial practice of redistricting began after the "apportionment cases" of the <br />sixties, the process of redrawing district lines for that purpose has generated a set of <br />'traditional" principles or criteria. Each of the criteria below has been recognized by courts <br />(including the Supreme Court) as desirable or at least permissible to abide by when redrawing <br />riistrict lines. <br />Compactness <br />Compactness is one of the most basic principles for drawing political districts. Indeed, it just <br />may be the oldest principle as evidenced by the uproar after the unveiling of Elbridge Gerry's <br />district in 1812.[1] Courts have recognized this principle in several cases expressly noting that <br />.compactness does have to be one of [redistrictings'] primary goals."[2] More recently, <br />compactness has played a central role in minority vote dilution claims and was a key issue in <br />the line of racial gerrymandering cases sparked by the Supreme Court's Shaw v. Reno <br />riecision.[3] <br />361 <br />