Authors Explain Ohio Gerrymandering in New Book
A new book utilizes pop culture references to break down the complexities of congressional mapping in Ohio.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Geography
Rory Riley Topping and Josh Rultenberg have published a new book titled Draw the Line in Ohio. The work aims to simplify the complex process of drawing congressional maps for a general audience.
Why it matters
The authors aim to make the technical realities of political boundary drawing accessible to a wider public. By utilizing familiar cultural touchstones, they hope to demystify the impact of gerrymandering on state representation.
The authors examine the technical process of congressional redistricting through the lens of pop culture. The book specifically references the film Mean Girls to illustrate the mechanics of political line-drawing.
The players
Rory Riley Topping
Rory Riley Topping is an author who collaborated on a guide to help readers understand the nuances of congressional mapping in Ohio.
Josh Rultenberg
Josh Rultenberg is a co-author of the new book that explores political redistricting through the use of popular media references.
The details
The book serves as a guide for readers attempting to understand how geographic lines are determined in Ohio. Riley Topping and Rultenberg intentionally integrate media references to bridge the gap between academic political science and everyday reader comprehension.
Timeline
October 24, 2026: The book publication is covered in news reporting.
The Big Picture
This work arrives as an educational bridge following the Supreme Court's 2019 ruling on Rucho v. Common Cause, which effectively shifted the primary battleground for redistricting to the state level. It provides citizens with the analytical tools to understand how local congressional maps are constructed.
Readers may gain a clearer understanding of how congressional boundary lines influence their local voting power. This guide provides a simplified framework for residents to engage more critically with the redistricting process in their own communities.
The takeaway
Understanding how electoral maps are drawn is an essential step for civic participation in local government. Readers can implement this knowledge by monitoring how political boundaries in their own districts may change in the future.
Further reading
Learn more about the state's layout in the Ohio Geography section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Columbian.
