Packing
Definition
Packing is a redistricting technique that crams a disfavored group of voters into as few districts as possible. That group wins those districts by huge, wasted margins, but has little or no influence in every other district drawn around it.1
Why it matters
Packing lets map-drawers neutralize a voting bloc's statewide power while appearing to give it "safe" representation. It's often paired with cracking, splitting the same group elsewhere, to lock in an outcome before votes are cast. Brennan Center's 2024 analysis tied this kind of map design to a 16-seat national House advantage.2
Seen in the wild
Brennan Center for Justice's 2024 House gerrymandering analysis found that only 27 congressional districts nationwide were decided by less than 5 points, consistent with widespread packing and cracking in that cycle's maps.2