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When politicians from opposing political parties collaborate to draw boundaries that benefit politicians already in power, it is called __________

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Final answer:

Sweetheart gerrymandering is the term used when politicians from opposing parties draw districts to benefit those in power by establishing safe, non-competitive districts. This is different from logrolling, where legislators agree to vote for a package of unrelated laws that they favor.

Step-by-step explanation:

When politicians from opposing political parties collaborate to draw boundaries that benefit politicians already in power, it is called sweetheart gerrymandering. This practice involves creating 'safe districts' that favor re-election of incumbents, ensuring maintenance of the status quo, and nearly guaranteeing non-competitive general elections. While logrolling refers to the action in which legislators agree to vote for a package of unrelated laws that they individually favor, which can lead to pork barrel spending, sweetheart gerrymandering is a specific type of gerrymandering designed to mutually benefit politicians from different parties by establishing non-competitive districts. An example of this could be incumbents from opposing parties agreeing to draw districts in a manner that protects each other's seats, reducing the likelihood of new challengers succeeding in future elections.

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