Josh Lafair, with help from his older siblings, created “Mapmaker” to show how partisans can draw politically advantageous districts.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, applauded the Lafairs, saying he has seen firsthand how the rules of redistricting have been stretched. Elected to the House in 1994, he has represented three different districts, with three different numbers.
“Recognizing that gerrymandering is not a game, these students have creatively developed a game that exposes the challenges,” Doggett said in an email to NBC News. “The greatest harm of these crooked lines is not to me or another elected official, but to the many who are denied accessible and accountable representation.”