Gray v. Sanders 372 U.S. 368 (1963)

• Author: Kenneth L. Karst
• Pages: 1227-1228

Page 1227

Gray, along with WESBERRY V. SANDERS (1964), was a way-station between BAKER V. CARR (1962) (legislative districting presents a justiciable controversy) and REYNOLDS V. SIMS (1964) (the ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE principle governs the issue). In Gray, the Supreme Court, 8?1, invalidated

Page 1228

Georgia's "county unit system," which weighed rural votes more heavily than urban votes in PRIMARY ELECTIONS for statewide offices. The state, said Justice WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS, was the electoral unit; within that unit, EQUAL PROTECTION demanded the principle of one person, one vote. Justice JOHN MARSHALL HARLAN dissented, drawing an analogy to the ELECTORAL COLLEGE.

KENNETH L. KARST

(1986)