About
Current Role
Jonathan Cervas is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), specializing in redistricting, voting rights, and American political institutions.
Research
Jonathan Cervas’s recent research focuses on the impact of redistricting on representation and voting rights in the United States. His work examines how district boundaries affect electoral outcomes, minority representation, and compliance with legal standards. Cervas has published studies on the Electoral College, partisan fairness, and the consequences of gerrymandering, providing data-driven insights that inform both academic debates and real-world policy decisions.
Redistricting
Jonathan Cervas has served as a court-appointed expert and consultant in major redistricting cases across the United States. His professional work includes drawing congressional and legislative maps for New York as Special Master, advising the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission, and consulting for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Cervas’s expertise has helped courts and commissions develop fair, legally compliant district plans, improve minority representation, and resolve complex voting rights disputes in states such as Alabama, Virginia, New York, and Wisconsin.
Media
Jonathan Cervas has been profiled by the New York Times, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and several other prominent news organizations. He has been quoted on several dozen news stories, and regularly asked to comment on local and national political issues.
Resources
These pages contain information for students who are looking for a letter of recommendation or to contribute to my research. I also include resources for the public and for journalists who are interested in redistricting and want to learn more.
Jonathan Cervas is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), specializing in redistricting, voting rights, and American political institutions. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from UC Irvine, with research on the Electoral College and representation. His work appears in journals including PNAS, Election Law Journal, and Political Geography.
Dr. Cervas has advised redistricting processes in Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin, including serving as Special Master for the NY Supreme Court. His expertise includes political geography and statistical modeling.
At CMU, he teaches American government, representation, and electoral systems, linking data-driven research to real-world policy.
I was appointed court co-consultant to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. I was tasked with evaluating and reporting to the court remedial proposals submitted by parties to the case. The litigation involved a remedy for both the state Assembly and Senate maps after the Court found the prior maps consisted of non-contiguous districts in violation the state constitution. View Report: (PDF)
I was appointed Special Master tasked with drawing the 2022-2030 NY Congressional and State Senate Maps. Special Master Report: (PDF) View Congressional Map: Download High-Quality Map: (SVG) (PNG) Dave's Redistricting: (DRA) View State Senate Map: Download High-Quality Map: (SVG) (PNG) Dave's Redistricting: (DRA)
I served as the redistricting consultant for the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission. The LRC developed state Senate and House of Representative lines for the 2020 decade. Those maps were approved via a bipartisan vote, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously affirmed their constitutionality.
I submitted two remedial plans for the court's consideration. Memo to the Special Master: (PDF) View 2021 Plan - Minimal Change: Download High-Quality Map: (SVG) Dave's Redistricting: (DRA) View 2023 Plan - Minimal Change: Download High-Quality Map: (SVG) Dave's Redistricting: (DRA)
As the Assistant to the Special Master, I helped redraw Sumter County's racially gerrymandered school board.
The Navajo Nation had been denied representation in the county commission. My redraw allowed them to elect a majority for the first time in American history.
As the Assistant to the Special Master, I helped redraw 25 of the 100 Virginia state legislative districts
I am an expert witness for the plaintiffs and have filed five reports regarding the Tennessee House and Senate. Reports: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
I wrote an amicus brief in support of neither party: Amicus Brief
I was an expert witness for the plaintiffs. Read more about the case with coverage for NPR. The case was settled, and the challenged map was replaced with one with features that mirrored those of my illustrative map. Expert Report: (PDF) Reply Expert Report: (PDF) View Illustrative Map: Dave's Redistricting: (DRA)