June 14, 2007

Fun With Redistricting!

A new online game is sweeping Congress -- and don't worry, Sens. Clinton and Lieberman, it isn't "Grand Theft Auto."

"The Redistricting Game" was developed at the University of Southern California to help teach voters that "mapmakers" can have more control over an election outcome than candidates or issues. Politically engineered redistricting, which can protect incumbents and party dominance even if voters are inclined differently, was most recently a hot topic in a Supreme Court decision last year and in the political fall of former GOP top dog Tom DeLay. Lawmakers concerned "the system is out of whack" invited the game's developers to the Hill yesterday.

NPR's Andrea Seabrook was one of the few journalists there. And nowhere in her report on the game does Seabrook address the most important issue of all:

Is it fun?

Quite a few Gaters are well-versed in video gaming (and have fulfilling social lives as well, if you want to know), and decided to give "The Redistricting Game" a whirl. Following are various verdicts.

Continue reading "Fun With Redistricting!"

Posted at 4:57 PM
Posted to: Redistricting
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