October Term 2014 · Docket 13-1314
Can a state legislature bypass its own voters to draw congressional maps?
Arizona's legislature claims the Constitution bars citizens from using a ballot initiative to create an independent redistricting commission.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Paul Clement argued Proposition 106 permanently removes legislative authority.
He claimed the Elections Clause vests power in state legislatures only.
Waxman argued the legislature's claim that people usurped power is misconceived.
He stated the framers would not have expected federal courts to hear this case.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 51-35 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 51-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether the Elections Clause reserves congressional districting power exclusively to state legislatures or allows the people to act directly.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 51-35 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 51-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 47-3
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 2, 2015.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 5-21
What each side wants
The legislature wants the Court to strike down the independent commission.
The commission wants the Court to uphold the voter-approved redistricting process.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 51-35 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 51-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 47-3
What each side says
The legislature argues the Constitution vests districting power solely in elected bodies.
The commission argues the people may exercise this power directly through referendum.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 51-35 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 51-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 47-3
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the legislature's power allows a governor veto.
Justice Kennedy asked how voter ID laws fit into the legislative definition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-47
Why it matters
This dispute defines who controls congressional district boundaries. It determines whether citizens can bypass legislatures to draw maps. The outcome shapes the balance of power in state government.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 51-35 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 51-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 47-3
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-47
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 51-35 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 51-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 51-35 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 51-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 47-3
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.