U.S. Supreme Court Unanimously Rules Every Person Counts in Evenwel v. Abbott

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court today unanimously held in Evenwel v. Abbott that all people count for the purpose of drawing voting districts, not just eligible voters.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is not only a victory for equality, it is a reaffirmation that our Constitution protects all of us,” said Campaign Legal Center Executive Director Gerry Hebert. “As Justice Ginsburg accurately points out in her opinion, our representatives serve all residents, not just those eligible to vote. Today’s decision ensures that states can, and should, continue to draw their districts taking into account every person’s interests.”

The Campaign Legal Center filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case on behalf of former Census Bureau Directors, arguing in defense of the total population standard, noting that states lack the proper data to count eligible voters for redistricting, rather than people, in the drawing of election districts.

Read the court’s opinion.