Which constitutional clause is central to the voting and representation questions raised in Wesberry and Shaw?

Which constitutional clause is central to the voting and representation questions raised in Wesberry and Shaw?

• A. Due Process Clause
• B. Equal Protection Clause
• C. Commerce Clause
• D. Necessary and Proper Clause

Answer: (B)

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In Wesberry v. Sanders, the Court held that congressional districts must have roughly equal populations so that each vote has roughly equal weight, applying the one-person, one-vote idea through equal protection. In Shaw v. Reno, the Court struck down district maps where race was the predominant factor in drawing lines, applying strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause and protecting against racial gerrymandering. The other clauses aren’t the vehicles for these questions: the Due Process Clause isn’t the focus in these voting and representation challenges, and the Commerce Clause or Necessary and Proper Clause don’t govern how districts are drawn or how votes are weighed.

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In Wesberry v. Sanders, the Court held that congressional districts must have roughly equal populations so that each vote has roughly equal weight, applying the one-person, one-vote idea through equal protection. In Shaw v. Reno, the Court struck down district maps where race was the predominant factor in drawing lines, applying strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause and protecting against racial gerrymandering. The other clauses aren’t the vehicles for these questions: the Due Process Clause isn’t the focus in these voting and representation challenges, and the Commerce Clause or Necessary and Proper Clause don’t govern how districts are drawn or how votes are weighed.