Baker v. Carr (1962) was a significant Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of legislative apportionment and the principle of “one person, one vote.” The case arose when Charles Baker, a resident of Tennessee, argued that the state’s legislative districts had not been redrawn in over 60 years, despite population shifts. This led to districts with vastly unequal populations, effectively diluting the voting power of citizens in more populous areas. Baker contended that this violation of equal protection under the 14th Amendment warranted judicial intervention, even though the Tennessee state legislature had not addressed the issue.
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-2 opinion that the federal courts had the authority to hear cases related to legislative apportionment. The Court held that the issue of unequal districting presented a justiciable (legally reviewable) question, rejecting the argument that such matters were purely political and beyond the reach of the judiciary. The ruling established the principle that legislative districts must be apportioned based on population, which led to a series of reforms in state and federal electoral systems to ensure fairer representation. Baker v. Carr laid the foundation for future cases that reinforced the importance of equal voting power, influencing the design of electoral districts across the United States.