In its decision in Louisiana v. Callais last month, the US Supreme Court weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, clearing the way for districts with a high proportion of racial minorities to be gerrymandered out of existence. In response to this ruling, Republicans have been racing to redraw electoral maps around the country; Democrats have been attempting to do the same, though they notably failed in Virginia, where the state supreme court struck down voter-approved maps.

Each party is trying to rig the game in their favor using every legal means at their disposal. But if the game can be rigged so easily, maybe it’s time to change the rules.

Two notable bills aimed at rehauling the United States’ electoral system have been introduced in Congress in recent years. The For the People Act of 2021 (FPA) would have forced nonpartisan committees to control districting. Yet “independent” commissions are only as independent as the states that appoint them. The bill would have required commissions made up of five Democrats, five Republicans, and five independents. But there is little preventing states from selecting independents who reliably lean toward one party or the other. The result could be commissions that look neutral on paper while reproducing many of the same partisan incentives that shape districting today.