2 HN users recommended this explainer2 months2023–2025score 3
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN recommends it as an entertaining demonstration of how powerful algorithmic gerrymandering can be.
AlphaPhoenix uses Monte Carlo simulation and annealing-style methods to draw North Carolina congressional district maps, both gerrymandered and fair. He focuses on the fascinating computational problem rather than the politics.
“For a great (and entertaining!) look into how you can use simulations to generate these types of maps” (HN, 2023)
For a great (and entertaining!) look into how you can use simulations to generate these types of maps you should check out this video by the superb channel AlphaPhoenix: [this video]
Entertaining look at generating district maps with simulations.
Required watching to put things into perspective of how powerful gerrymandering can be [this video] There was a proposed (and failed) ballot initiative in Ohio that tried to address this in the only way you actually can. The tl;dr is that there is no such thing as a fair map and so the state would be required to gerrymander the districts to match the state-wide election results. Basically proportional representation with extra steps, but brings the "secret metric" in map making to the forefront and requires it be a specific value so you can't tune it to your favor.
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