Funny Council Boundaries

Vol. 1 Issue 1
Fall 2006

We are excited to bring you the first newsletter from Azavea. This issue will highlight several ongoing projects in the fields of political advocacy, economic development and historical preservation. Several of these projects will certainly be relevant to your industry or some of the projects you are currently working on. We are thrilled to share with you some of our findings, insights and results. Please let us know what you think!

By Chip Hitchens

Think those council boundaries look strange? That’s because they are a result of a process called Gerrymandering. The word “gerrymander” is named for the American politician “Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814). The term was coined by combining the politician’s last name with the term “salamander,” to describe the appearance of a new electoral district Gerry created to hinder the electoral aspirations of his political opponents. Think you can name this Gerrymandered city? Be the first to send an email to info@azavea.com, and if you guess the city you will win a copy of “Past Time, Past Place: GIS for History” from ESRI Press or a $25 gift card to Borders.