WESBERRY V SANDERS 376 U.S 1 1964 WESBERRY V SANDERS U.S CONSTITUTION U.S GOV'T JUDICIAL SUFFRAGE U.S POPULATION U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION SIGNIFICANCE THIS CASE HELPED ESTABLISH THAT FEDERAL COURTS HAVE THE POWER TO ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS ON VOTING DISTRICT REPRESENTATION THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES GOVERNMENT BODIES TO BASE SUCH REPRESENTATION ON EQUAL POPULATION DISTRICTS BACKGROUND THE VOTING POPULATION IN GEORGIA'S FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WAS TWO TO THREE TIMES GREATER THAN THAT OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS BECAUSE GEORGIA HAD NOT REAPPORTIONED ITS DISTRICTS TO REFLECT POPULATION DIFFERENCES JAMES WESBERRY AND OTHER VOTERS SUED GOVERNOR CARL SANDERS AND THE GEORGIA LEGISLATURE TO KEEP GEORGIA OFFICIALS FROM BEING ELECTED FROM UNFAIRLY DRAWN DISTRICTS DECISION THIS CASE WAS ARGUED ON NOVEMBER 18 19 1963 AND DECIDED ON FEBRUARY 17 1964 BY A VOTE OF 7 TO 2 JUSTICE HUGO BLACK SPOKE FOR THE COURT WITH JUSTICE TOM CLARK CONCURRING AND DISSENTING IN PART AND JUSTICE JOHN HARLAN DISSENTING THE SUPREME COURT AGREED WITH THE VOTERS RULING THAT THE RIGHT TO VOTE WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MERIT JUDICIAL PROTECTION THE COURT ALSO JUDGED THAT THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT CLEARLY INTENDS THAT REPRESENTATION BE BASED AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE ON POPULATION EXCERPT FROM THE OPINION OF THE COURT WHILE IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO DRAW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS WITH MATHEMATICAL PRECISION THAT IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORING OUR CONSTITUTION'S PLAIN OBJECTIVE OF MAKING EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR EQUAL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THE FUNDAMENTAL GOAL FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT IS THE HIGH STANDARD OF JUSTICE AND COMMON SENSE WHICH THE FOUNDERS SET FOR US
