Evenwel v. Abbott
The Court Rules That States May Draw Legislative Districts Based on Total Population
Evenwel v. Abbott was featured in Legislative Redistricting, Supreme Court Debates (Feb. 2016). The following is excerpted from the summary of the unanimous opinion written by Justice Ginsburg, as prepared by the Court Reporter of Decisions: As constitutional history, precedent, and practice demonstrate, a State or locality may draw its legislative districts based on total population. Constitutional history shows that, at the time of the founding, the Framers endorsed allocating House seats to States based on total population. Debating what would become the Fourteenth Amendment, Congress reconsidered the proper basis for apportioning House seats. Retaining the total-population rule, Congress rejected…
