Baker v Carr Bush V Gore

The Fourteenth AmendmentThe Equal Protection Clause

States’ election laws

Baker v Carr 1962• Tennessee had failed to

reapportion the state legislature for 60 years

• Baker, a voter, brought suit against the state (Joe Carr was a state official in charge of elections) in federal district court, claiming that the dilution of his vote as a result of the state's failure to reapportion violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.

• The Supreme Court agreed with Baker that his rights had been violated under the equal protection clause

• Even though the case concerned state leg, it led to reapportionment of congressional districts

• “one man one vote” became the synopsis of the case

Bush v Gore 2000

• At issue was the recount of the ballots in two counties in Florida

• Electoral College meets Dec 15 to elect President-time constraint

• Because the ballots were not standardized the court ruled that the recount must stop

• Governor Bush was awarded Florida’s electoral votes based on the original tally and therefore received the 270 voted need to become President

• Both cases involved the Equal Protection Clause of Amend. 14

• Both involved state election laws, not federal concerns

• http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2000/2000_00_949