Fact check: When was the last time the Democratic Party gerrymandered in any state before a census

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, none of the sources contain a specific date for when the Democratic Party last gerrymandered in any state before a census. The sources acknowledge that Democrats have engaged in gerrymandering practices but fail to provide the temporal information requested in the original question.

The analyses reveal several examples of Democratic gerrymandering:

• Maryland: Democrats used control over map-drawing to eliminate one of the state's Republican congressional districts ^[1]
• Illinois: Democrats won 14 of 17 congressional seats due to gerrymandering, with the state responding with maps that skew districts in their favor ^{[2] [3]}
• California: Democrats are considering gerrymandering their state's congressional map in response to potential Republican gerrymandering in Texas ^[4]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question seeks specific timing information that is completely absent from all analyzed sources. Several critical pieces of context are missing:

• Historical timeline: No source provides dates for Democratic gerrymandering activities relative to census cycles
• Comparative analysis: The sources mention Republican gerrymandering efforts, particularly in Texas, but don't establish a chronological comparison between parties ^{[5] [4]}
• Institutional safeguards: Some states like California have implemented safeguards against partisan gerrymandering, which could affect when and how Democrats might engage in such practices ^[6]
• Current political dynamics: The analyses show that current gerrymandering discussions are reactive, with Democrats considering gerrymandering in response to Republican efforts rather than proactive pre-census planning ^[4]

Powerful political parties and redistricting organizations would benefit from narratives that either minimize their own gerrymandering history or emphasize their opponents' practices, making objective historical documentation crucial but apparently unavailable in these sources.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains an implicit assumption that may be problematic: it presupposes that the Democratic Party has gerrymandered "before a census" and seeks only the timing of the "last time." This framing could be misleading because:

• Redistricting timing: The question's focus on "before a census" may reflect a misunderstanding of the redistricting process, as redistricting typically occurs after census data is released, not before (though the sources don't explicitly clarify this timing)
• Incomplete scope: The question focuses solely on Democratic gerrymandering while the sources indicate that both parties engage in gerrymandering practices ^{[1] [3] [2]}
• Unanswerable as posed: The complete absence of specific dates in all sources suggests the question may be seeking information that is either not publicly documented or requires more specialized historical research than these general sources provide

The analyses consistently show that gerrymandering is a bipartisan practice, with both Democrats and Republicans engaging in partisan redistricting when they control the process, making the singular focus on Democratic actions potentially misleading without broader context.