Our Mission

The MGGG Redistricting Lab is a research group at Tisch College of Tufts University, led by PI Moon Duchin, that grew out of an informal research collective called the Metric Geometry and Gerrymandering Group. Our staff has expertise and interests spanning mathematics (geometry, topology, discrete math, dynamics), algorithms, software development, geography, STS, law, and policy. We research data science interventions for civil rights.

Our goals are these:

• to pursue cutting-edge research in the basic science and practically relevant applications of geometry, topology, and computing to the redistricting problem;
• to build open-source tools and resources that create public access and analytical power for better understanding election systems and their consequences;
• to partner with civil rights organizations to reexamine and strengthen the quantitative toolkit for protecting voting rights;
• to offer formal and informal expert consulting to stakeholders on all sides.

Highlights

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  Modeling the Fair Representation Act

  MGGG

  06 June 2023

  We’re delighted to share some cool findings from a study entitled Modeling the Fair Representation Act, undertaken in partnership with FairVote.

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  Tools to Analyze Voting Polarization

  MGGG

  21 July 2022

  In a given election, did members of various racial/ethnic groups have systematically different preferences than others? This is called “racially polarized voting” (or RPV), and assessing it is a key element in ascertaining the fairness of electoral systems to minority groups. Under the current Voting Rights Act, a system may violate the law if sizeable minority groups have distinct preferences that are consistently thwarted. But we have a secret ballot! You don’t mark your name, and you certainly don’t mark your race, when you cast your vote. This means that we have to apply statistical inference methods to “learn” patterns of voting by race.

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  Districtr and Public Mapping

  MGGG

  28 June 2022

  Too often, redistricting happens behind closed doors. To promote transparency and civic engagement, our Lab regards it as essential to put the tools of map-drawing into the hands of the public.

The MGGG Redistricting Lab is a nonpartisan research organization located within the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University.