Fact check: Percent of voters against gerrymandering?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, 69% of Americans believe that gerrymandering legislative districts to advantage one party over the other should be illegal ^[1]. This opposition to gerrymandering shows a clear bipartisan pattern, though with varying intensity: 57% of Republicans and 80% of Democrats hold this view ^[1].

The research indicates that Americans view gerrymandering with disdain, comparable to bribery and other forms of political corruption ^[2]. Furthermore, studies demonstrate that partisan gerrymandering undermines the belief that elections are fair ^[2], suggesting that public opposition stems from concerns about democratic integrity rather than partisan preferences alone.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the complexity of gerrymandering as a political issue. While the data shows strong public opposition, several key perspectives are missing:

• Political parties and incumbent politicians benefit significantly from gerrymandering by creating "safe" districts that protect their seats and reduce electoral competition ^[3]
• The analyses reveal that gerrymandering has tangible effects on the electoral process beyond public opinion, actually tilting electoral outcomes ^[3]
• There's a notable partisan gap in opposition levels - while majorities of both parties oppose gerrymandering, Democrats show significantly stronger opposition (80%) compared to Republicans (57%) ^[1]

The question also doesn't address that opposition to gerrymandering exists within a broader context of democratic reform movements and concerns about electoral fairness ^{[3] [2]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation, but it's overly simplistic. By asking only for a percentage, it fails to capture the nuanced nature of public opinion on gerrymandering:

• The question doesn't acknowledge that opposition varies significantly by party affiliation ^[1]
• It doesn't recognize that gerrymandering opposition is part of broader concerns about political corruption and electoral fairness ^[2]
• The framing ignores the practical reality that while voters oppose gerrymandering in principle, the practice continues to benefit those in power who have the ability to implement reforms ^[3]

A more complete understanding would recognize that despite overwhelming public opposition, gerrymandering persists because those with the power to change the system often benefit from maintaining the status quo.