LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Less gerrymandering in North Dakota Devils Lake Journal Does gerrymandering happen in North Dakota? Gerrymandering happens when lawmakers draw new legislative district boundaries so as to favor themselves and their party in future elections. In the year following each U.S. Census, legislative district boundaries must be redrawn so that each district has nearly the same number of voters. A committee of legislators updates the state’s district map. In other words, elected officials pick their voters, not the other way around. Legislators want to be re-elected, so there is a motivation to use the redistricting process for incumbent protection. For instance, a legislator may have moved out of his district. “Let’s move the line so his new house is back in his old district.” Or, “I don’t want to have to run against that person; draw the line so that she’s not in my district.”