Political Coding : The Rhetorical Power of Redistricting Algorithms

For a machine, code is instrumental. A computer simply executes logic. Often, we assume code itself if neutral. However, through bridging the gaps between political science and digital media, it becomes clear code isn’t just a set of instructions. Instead, its is a rhetorical act.

Each time a developer writes a line of code, they are making choices about how a system should behave. This is what scholars call procedural rhetoric. Unlike speeches or essays which use words to persuade an audience, software utilities process.

Political Boundaries

Sophisticated software now carves out political boundaries. These programs employ a cold ‘logic’ to sort voters into specific districts. Developers feed the software parameters—population size, partisan leanings, and geography—and the machine executes a procedure to calculate the most ‘efficient’ map possible.

Political Partisanship and Racial Disparity

One must ask themselves is this system fair and unbiased? The person writing the code isn’t just organizing data. They are making an argument about what a “fair” district looks like. However, computers don’t fully take into account human biases such as race. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits “racial gerrymandering” that intentionally diminishes the power of minority voters. However, algorithms can use “partisan leanings” as a proxy for race.  In the U.S, Black voters especially have had their rights to democracy interfered with on the basis of race. If the code is told to prioritize “Partisan Symmetry,” it will draw districts that split power evenly. If the code supports incumbent protection, it will draw districts where incumbents never loose their seats.

Accountability

From a rhetorical perspective, the “fairness” of the system depends entirely on the objective function. The computer doesn’t know it is disenfranchising a voter. it only knows it is successfully minimizing a specific variable. This is why your observation is so important: The person writing the code is the one making the argument. The computer didn’t just a mistake. Instead the developer makes the choice.