People love to gripe that they want to vote for "None of the Above" when they cast their ballot. Imagine yourself a voter in the very first congressional election, with your choice either the future fourth President of the U.S. or the future fifth President. That happened to the white males who owned at least 50 unimproved acres (or 25 acres with a house or a house with a lot in town) and lived in the Virginia counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Culpeper, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania.
James Madison and James Monroe were candidates for the same seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1789. An embarrassment of riches! Their district was an odd shape and that was intentional. Anti-federalist Patrick Henry was trying to make sure that Madison would lose. The term gerrymandering hadn't been coined yet, so we'll call it henrymandering. The new government was just getting launched and screwy battle lines were already drawn.
Madison won, with 57 percent of the vote.
James Madison and James Monroe were candidates for the same seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1789. An embarrassment of riches! Their district was an odd shape and that was intentional. Anti-federalist Patrick Henry was trying to make sure that Madison would lose. The term gerrymandering hadn't been coined yet, so we'll call it henrymandering. The new government was just getting launched and screwy battle lines were already drawn.
Madison won, with 57 percent of the vote.