On this episode: Redistricting happens every decade — but lately it's been making news on a much shorter cycle. Ballotpedia's redistricting expert Nathan Maxwell joins host Norman Leahy to walk through how the process actually works, from reapportionment basics to the three main methods states use to draw their maps. Then they get into why redistricting keeps landing in court, what recent Supreme Court rulings like Louisiana v. Calais have changed, and what to watch as new maps take shape ahead of the 2026 midterms. Plus: the 1812 origin of gerrymandering, a pre-Constitution power play by Patrick Henry, and a 28-sided monstrosity from 1957 Alabama.

• Learn more about the redistricting battles taking place across the country ahead of the 2026 midterms: https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_ahead_of_the_2026_elections 

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*On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.