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Algorithmic Redistricting: Elections made-to-order

Algorithmic Redistricting: Elections made-to-order on HackerTube: recommended by 2 Hacker News commenters across 2 separate months, 2023–2025.

AlphaPhoenix

explainer · evergreen

Open on YouTube

AlphaPhoenix uses Monte Carlo simulation and annealing-style methods to draw North Carolina congressional district maps, both gerrymandered and fair. He focuses on the fascinating computational problem rather than the politics.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN recommends it as an entertaining demonstration of how powerful algorithmic gerrymandering can be.

people recommended it
2
separate months
2
strong recommendations
2
discussed on HN
2023–2025
“For a great (and entertaining!) look into how you can use simulations to generate these types of maps”
— opdahl, Jun 2023, in “Math Has Changed the Shape of Gerrymandering”

What HN commenters said

3 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.

SpivakAug 2025Strongly recommends

Required watching to put things into perspective of how powerful gerrymandering can be ▶ this video There was a proposed (and failed) ballot initiative in Ohio that tried to address this in the only way you actually can. The tl;dr is that there is no such thing as a fair map and so the state would be required to gerrymander the districts to match the state-wide election results. Basically proportional representation with extra steps, but brings the "secret metric" in map making to the forefront and requires it be a specific value so you can't tune it to your favor.

in “” · View on HN

opdahlJun 2023Strongly recommends

For a great (and entertaining!) look into how you can use simulations to generate these types of maps you should check out this video by the superb channel AlphaPhoenix: ▶ this video

in “Math Has Changed the Shape of Gerrymandering” · View on HN

j5155May 2023Cites it

This aspect of adding randomness to avoid local randomness reminds me of AlphaPhoenix’s automated gerrymandering project: ▶ this video

in “What if you did the exact opposite?” · View on HN

Topics & tags

US politics & electionsAlgorithms & data structuresgerrymanderingmonte carlosimulationredistrictingelections