Fact check: Previous to 2025, when was the last time a blue state gerrymandered districts

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Illinois was the most recent blue state to gerrymander districts prior to 2025, doing so in 2021 ^[1]. The Illinois redistricting under Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker created non-compact districts with more county splits than average, resulting in Democrats controlling 14 of 17 House districts ^{[1] [2]}.

California also engaged in gerrymandering activities around the same timeframe, with the state passing plans to create new congressional maps that could bring Democrats five additional seats in response to Texas' redistricting efforts ^[3]. This suggests that multiple blue states were actively gerrymandering in the 2021 redistricting cycle following the 2020 census.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the broader redistricting arms race occurring between red and blue states. The analyses reveal that blue state gerrymandering was largely reactive to Republican efforts, particularly Texas' aggressive redistricting ^{[3] [4]}.

Several key points are missing from the original question:

• New York and Maryland were also mentioned as states where Democratic governors discussed redrawing congressional maps ^[5]
• The gerrymandering occurred as part of the standard post-census redistricting cycle in 2021, not as isolated incidents
• There's an ongoing strategic debate within Democratic circles about whether blue states should more aggressively gerrymander to counter Republican efforts ^[6]

Political strategists and party leaders benefit from framing gerrymandering as either defensive or offensive, depending on their partisan position. Democratic leaders like Governor Pritzker have indicated willingness to respond "in kind" to Republican gerrymandering efforts ^[5].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral but may contain implicit bias by focusing solely on blue state gerrymandering without acknowledging the broader context of Republican gerrymandering efforts that prompted these responses. The framing suggests blue states are uniquely problematic in gerrymandering when the analyses show this was part of a reciprocal political strategy ^{[3] [5]}.

The question also lacks acknowledgment that gerrymandering is a bipartisan practice that occurs during regular redistricting cycles. By asking specifically about blue states without mentioning the concurrent red state gerrymandering, the question may inadvertently promote a false equivalency narrative that ignores the reactive nature of many blue state redistricting efforts ^{[6] [4]}.