What does gerrymandering involve?

Gerrymandering involves manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency to favor one party over another. This practice aims to create an electoral advantage by either concentrating the opposing party's voters into a few districts (packing) or spreading them thinly across many districts (cracking). By shaping these boundaries strategically, the party in power can maximize its chances of winning more seats in the legislature than would otherwise be possible based on the actual voter population distribution. This method can significantly distort the principle of fair representation, as it skews electoral outcomes to benefit specific political interests rather than reflecting the true preferences of the electorate.

The other options don't align with the definition of gerrymandering: fair representation aims for equitable treatment of all parties, assigning equal numbers of voters focuses on balanced districts, and conducting primary elections relates to selecting party candidates rather than shaping voter districts.