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Algorithmic Redistricting: Elections made-to-order

AlphaPhoenix · explainer · Watch on YouTube

US politics & electionsAlgorithms & data structures

What it is

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.

  • 2 people recommended it
  • 2 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2023, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “For a great (and entertaining!) look into how you can use simulations to generate these types of maps”

    Entertaining look at generating district maps with simulations.

    opdahl, 2023-06 · Strong recommendation · in “Math Has Changed the Shape of Gerrymandering”

  2. “Required watching to put things into perspective of how powerful gerrymandering can be”

    Shows how powerful gerrymandering can be.

    Spivak, 2025-08 · Strong recommendation

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: gerrymandering, monte carlo, simulation, redistricting, elections

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