The term “gerrymander” is a construct of two words, merging the last name of Elbridge Gerry (the 1812 governor of Massachusetts) with the last part of “salamander.” He signed off on bills that created odd shaped districts to pack as many opposing voters into them, and therefore dilute their voting power and muzzle their rights, particularly for free-expression at the voting booth. There are many examples of extreme gerrymandering in the United States, but these are some of the most notable include:

Maryland’s 3rd congressional district: This district is nicknamed the “Dante’s Inferno” gerrymander because of its bizarre shape. It is a series of interconnected loops that snake through the state, and it was drawn by Democrats in 2011 to pack as many Republican voters as possible into a single district. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/marylands-3rd-congressional-district

North Carolina’s 12th congressional district: This district is nicknamed the “I-95 gerrymander” because it follows the path of Interstate 95. It was drawn by Republicans in 2011 to pack as many Democratic voters as possible into a single district. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/18/opinion/racial-gerrymandering-in-north-carolina.html

Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district: This district is nicknamed the “Goofy Kick” gerrymander because of its shape. It was drawn by Republicans in 2011 to pack as many Democratic voters as possible into a single district. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin%27s_1st_congressional_district

Pennsylvania’s 7th congressional district: This district is nicknamed the “Cartogram” gerrymander because it looks like a map of Pennsylvania. It was drawn by Republicans in 2011 to pack as many Democratic voters as possible into a single district. https://whyy.org/articles/pennsylvania-supreme-court-weighing-decision-fast-tracked-gerrymandering-case/