The Supreme Court case Shaw v. Reno (1993) is a landmark decision concerning redistricting and racial gerrymandering. It specifically addresses the constitutionality of congressional districts drawn in a manner that appears to segregate voters by race. The core issue revolves around whether the creation of an unusually shaped district, ostensibly to ensure minority representation, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For example, a district stretching across a state in a thin, serpentine fashion to connect predominantly minority neighborhoods could be challenged under the precedent set by this case.
This ruling is significant because it reinforces the principle that race cannot be the predominant factor in drawing electoral district lines. The benefits of this decision include preventing the creation of districts that may perpetuate racial segregation in voting and ensuring that all citizens have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. Historically, it emerged from concerns about the fairness and representational equity of redistricting plans implemented following the 1990 census. The case served as a check on the potential for manipulating district boundaries to disproportionately favor or disadvantage specific racial groups.