Reapportionment Struggle

Archive Report

Furor Over ’One Man, One Vote’ Rule

A Recent Decision by the Supreme Court on representation in state legislatures foreshadows revolutionary changes in American political life. By decreeing that “the seats in both houses of a bicameral state legislature must be apportioned on a population basis,”1 the Court appears to have sounded the death knell of rural control of state governments, which has persisted despite a growing concentration of population in urban areas.

Unless application of the “one man, one vote” standard in election of members of state legislatures is limited through adoption of an amendment to the Constitution, it will transfer control of many of those bodies to the cities and suburbs. Long-term results flowing from, such a transfer may include a realignment of political ...

locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles