Links to individual stories follow this summary:
The classic gerrymandered map you learned about in high school civics class is full of oddly-shaped legislative districts, drawn with obvious intent to boost one party.
But in New Hampshire, that’s rarely the case: It’s very hard to see, just by looking at the election maps, which districts might help or hurt a certain party’s chances. So, has gerrymandering been a factor in the state’s politics? And if so, to what extent?
New Hampshire Public Radio crunched 30 years of election data, focusing on the state Senate. And that analysis revealed an undeniable gerrymander that, with few exceptions, benefits Republicans.
In this series of stories, NHPR's newsroom used radio and digital storytelling to draw attention to a political issue and series of races with a singular goal in mind: to make our audience care about something most people know very little about.
4.20.16 - Radio Feature: How a Few Lines on a Map Hold So Much Power in N.H. Politics
Reporter Natasha Haverty talks to the architect of New Hampshire Republicans' redistricting plan, and digs into the history of how gerrymandering has shaped politics and policy in the state.
The Exchange: As a companion to our reporting, NHPR's daily talk show focused an episode on the impact of redistricting in New Hampshire
4.20.16 - Digital Story: As New Hampshire Shifts to a Swing State, Why Do Legislative Lines Still Favor Republicans?
This story features an in-depth analysis of 30 years of election data mined from NHPR's Election database, and includes illustrations, data visualizations, and an interactive map showing the effect of gerrymandering on one key New Hampshire Senate district.
8.11.16 - Radio Feature: The Most Important Campaign This Year May Be One You've Heard Nothing About
Dan Barrick unpacks the race for New Hampshire's twenty-four state Senate seats. With a third of its seats turning over, the race provided a rare opportunity for Democrats to take power. However, redistricting of the state would make that outcome unlikely despite the fact that New Hampshire was expected to go for Democrats at the top of the ticket. So, how should candidates run their campaigns?
10.18.16 - Radio Feature: In One of New Hampshire's Only Swing Districts, Can a Candidate Be as Complex as the Voters?
Redistricting means there are very few true swing districts in New Hampshire's state Senate. As Natasha Haverty reports, the race in District 24 was in many ways a reflection of the forces shaping the state's politics...and so were the candidates on the ballot.
11.4.16 - Digital Feature & On-Air Two-Way: In Contests for State Senate, Small Races Could Have Big Policy Impact
Years of gerrymandering have left just a handful of true "battleground" districts in the New Hampshire state Senate. But with many key issues decided in recent years by just a single vote, the outcomes of the elections in those districts could have huge policy implications. NHPR's Dan Barrick explains.
12.07.16 - Digital Follow-Up Feature & Interview: How Much Did the Shape of N.H.'s State Senate Districts Shape the Outcome in 2016?
Digital reporter Casey McDermott analyzes the impact of redistricting in a follow-up story after the 2016 statewide election. Includes a radio two-way and updated data visualizations reflecting the 2016 results.
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