October Term 2015 · Docket 14-940
Must states count all residents or only voters when drawing districts?
Appellants demand voter-based districting. Texas defends total-population counting.
Verified source milestones
- — 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
Appellants claim total-population counting dilutes voter power.
Texas claims total-population counting ensures equal representation.
Justice Kagan asked why House rules differ from state rules.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 32-40 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 32-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 34-34 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 34-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 18-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 32-34 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 32-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 20-4 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 20-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 4-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 4-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 52-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 52-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 24-28
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the one-person, one-vote rule. It asks if states must count only eligible voters. Texas counts all residents. Appellants claim this violates equal protection.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 50-1
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 8, 2015.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
What each side wants
Appellants want states to count only eligible voters.
Texas wants to keep counting all residents.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 50-1
What each side says
Appellants argue total-population counting violates equal protection.
Texas argues total-population counting satisfies equal representation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 50-1
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if practicality affects the decision.
Justice Ginsburg asked if excluding women was wrong pre-1920.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 32-40 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 32-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 34-34 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 34-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 18-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 32-34 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 32-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 20-4 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 20-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 4-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 4-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 52-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 52-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 24-28
Why it matters
This dispute defines how states measure political equality. It shapes who holds power in local government. It determines the weight of each citizen's voice.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 50-1
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 38-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 32-40 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 32-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 34-34 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 34-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 18-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 32-34 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 32-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 20-4 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 20-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 4-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 4-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 52-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 52-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 24-28
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 26, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 39, lines 50-1
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.