What term refers to the manipulation of district boundaries to favor one political party over another?

The term that refers to the manipulation of district boundaries to favor one political party over another is gerrymandering. This process involves drawing electoral district boundaries in such a way that it maximizes the electoral advantage for a particular political party, often resulting in oddly shaped districts that do not represent coherent geographic areas or communities.

Gerrymandering can significantly impact electoral outcomes by concentrating or dispersing voters of a particular party strategically to enhance their representation in the legislature. While redistricting, which involves redrawing district lines, is a normal process often occurring every ten years after the census, gerrymandering occurs when that process is exploited for partisan advantage. Reapportionment refers to the process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes, and voter suppression involves tactics used to restrict voter access to the electoral process, neither of which specifically deal with the manipulation of district boundaries for political gain.