What term describes the manipulation of political boundaries and electoral constituencies to favor one party over another?

The term that best describes the manipulation of political boundaries and electoral constituencies to favor one party over another is gerrymandering. This practice involves drawing district lines in a way that gives an advantage to a particular political party, often by concentrating or dispersing certain voter demographics. For instance, if a party is able to craft districts that include a higher concentration of their supporters while diluting the voting power of opposing parties, it can enhance their chances of winning those districts.

In political contexts, gerrymandering can create bizarrely shaped districts that do not reflect the geographic or demographic realities of the population. This enables the party in power to maximize its electoral gains and can lead to skewed representation in legislative bodies.

The other options, while related to electoral processes, do not specifically refer to the manipulation of district boundaries for partisan advantage. Redistricting refers to the general process of redrawing electoral district boundaries, which can be done fairly or unfairly depending on the motives behind it. Voter suppression involves strategies to discourage or prevent specific groups of people from voting, while political realignment refers to significant shifts in political allegiance among the electorate, often in response to changes in policy issues or party platforms.