Wesberry v. Sanders established that congressional districts must have what property?

Wesberry v. Sanders established that congressional districts must have what property?

• A. Exactly equal populations in every district
• B. Roughly equal populations within a state
• C. Districts must be equal in geographic area
• D. Districts must follow county lines

Answer: (B)

One person, one vote applies to congressional districts, so within each state the districts must have roughly equal populations. Wesberry v. Sanders says districts should be drawn so their populations are as equal as practicable, ensuring each vote carries comparable weight. It doesn’t require equal geographic size or adherence to county lines—the shapes can be irregular as long as the number of people in each district is essentially the same. This builds on Baker v. Carr, which opened the door for federal review of redistricting to protect equal representation.

One person, one vote applies to congressional districts, so within each state the districts must have roughly equal populations. Wesberry v. Sanders says districts should be drawn so their populations are as equal as practicable, ensuring each vote carries comparable weight. It doesn’t require equal geographic size or adherence to county lines—the shapes can be irregular as long as the number of people in each district is essentially the same. This builds on Baker v. Carr, which opened the door for federal review of redistricting to protect equal representation.