Connor v. Johnson, 402 U.S. 690 (1971)

402 U.S.
690
91 S.Ct. 1760
29 L.Ed.2d 268
Peggy J. CONNOR, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, et

al.
v.
Paul B. JOHNSON et al.
No. -.
June 3, 1971.
Dissenting Opinion June 4, 1971.
Rehearing Denied June 14, 1971.
See 403 U.S. 924, 91 S.Ct. 2220.

PER CURIAM.
On May 14, 1971, a three-judge District Court, convened in the Southern

District of Mississippi, invalidated the Mississippi Legislature's latest
reapportionment statute as allowing impermissibly large variations among
House and Senate districts. The parties were requested by the court to submit
suggested plans, and the applicants did so on May 17. All four plans suggested
by applicants utilized single-member districts exclusively in Hinds County. The
following day, May 18, 330 F.Supp. 506, the court issued its own plan, which
included single- and multi-member districts in each House; Hinds County was
constituted as a multi-member district electing five senators and 12
representatives. The court expressed some reluctance over use of multi-member
districts in counties electing four or more senators or representatives, saying:
'(I)t would be ideal if (such counties) could be divided into districts, for the
election of one member (from) the district.' However, in view of the June 4,
1971, deadline for filing notices of candidacy, the court concluded that: '(W)ith
the time left available it is a matter of sheer impossibility to obtain dependable
data, population figures, boundary locations, etc. so as fairly and correctly to
divide these counties into districts for the election of single members of the
Senate or this House in time for the elections of 1971.' The court promised to
appoint a special master in January 1972 to investigate the possibility of singlemember districts for the general elections of 1975 and 1979.
Applicants moved the District Court to stay its order. The motion was denied
on May 24. Applicants have now applied to this Court for a stay of the District
Court's order and for an extension of the June 4 filing deadline until the District
Court shall have provided single-member districts in Hinds County, or until the
Attorney General or the District Court for the District of Columbia approves
the District Court's apportionment plan under Section 5 of the Voting Rights
Act of 1965, 79 Stat. 439, 42 U.S.C. 1973c (1964 ed., Supp. V).
Insofar as applicants ask relief under the Voting Rights Act the motion for stay
is denied. A decree of the United States District Court is not within reach of
Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. However, other reasons lead us to grant the
motion to the extent indicated below.
In failing to devise single-member districts, the court was under the belief that
insufficient time remained until June 4, the deadline for the filing of notices of
candidacy. Yet at that time June 4 was 17 days away and, according to an
uncontradicted statement in the brief supporting this motion, the applicants
were able to formulate and offer to the court four single-member district plans
for Hinds County in the space of three days. Also according to uncontradicted
statements, these plans were based on data which included county maps
showing existing political subdivisions, the supervisory districts used by the
Census Bureau for the taking of the 1970 census, official 1970 Census Bureau
'final population counts,' and 'computer print-out from Census Bureau official
computer tapes showing total and white/Negro population by census
enumeration districts.' Applicants also assert that no other population figures
will subsequently become available.
The District Court's judgment was that single-member districting would be

'ideal' for Hinds County. We agree that when district courts are forced to
fashion apportionment plans, single-member districts are preferable to large
multi-member districts as a general matter. Furthermore, given the census
information apparently available and the dispatch with which the applicants
devised suggested plans for the District Court, it is our view that, on this
record, the District Court had ample time to devise single-member districts for
Hinds County prior to the June 4 filing deadline. While meeting the June 4 date
is no longer possible, there is nothing before us to suggest any insurmountable
barrier to devising such a plan by June 14, 1971. Therefore the motion for stay
is granted and the judgment below is stayed until June 14. The District Court is
instructed, absent insurmountable difficulties, to devise and put into effect a
single-member district plan for Hinds County by that date. In light of this
disposition, the District Court is directed to extend the June 4 filing date for
legislative candidates from Hinds County to an appropriate date so that those
candidates and the State of Mississippi may act in light of the new districts into
which Hinds County will be divided.
6
It is so ordered.
Motion to stay granted.
THE CHIEF JUSTICE, Mr. Justice BLACK, and Mr. Justice HARLAN dissent
and reserve the right to file an opinion to that effect.
Mr. Justice BLACK, with whom THE CHIEF JUSTICE and Mr. Justice
HARLAN join, dissenting.
10
I strongly dissent from the stay order of June 3, 1971, more particularly as it
relates to a postponement of the Hinds County, Mississippi, election. Under
Mississippi law and the decrees of the three-judge court, Hinds County
candidates for the state legislature would be elected from the county at large.
But this Courtat the eleventh hournow commands the District Court to
change its decree and divide Hinds County into single-member districts so that
each voter there can vote for only one state representative and one state senator.
Under Mississippi law, the final filing date for candidates is June 4. This
Court's order now postpones that deadline to 'an appropriate date' after June 14.
The order compels candidates who had expected to run county-wide to change
their plans completely and to campaign only in a particular district which is part
of the county. The confusion is compounded because the candidates do not yet
know where the district lines will be drawn. Any candidate would be
dumbfounded by the thought that his old district had suddenly been abolished
on the eve of the filing date and he must now run in a new but unspecified
district which is still only a dream in the eyes of the United States Supreme
Court sitting a thousand miles from Hinds County.
11
This abrupt order by the Court is all the more astounding since this Court has
consistently approved multi-member districts for state legislatures. Burnette v.
Davis, 382 U.S. 42, 86 S.Ct. 181, 15 L.Ed.2d 35 (1965); Fortson v. Dorsey, 379
U.S. 433, 85 S.Ct. 498, 13 L.Ed.2d 401 (1965); Burns v. Richardson, 384 U.S.
73, 86 S.Ct. 1286, 16 L.Ed.2d 376 (1966).
12
I do not deny that this Court has the sheer, raw power to impose single-member
districts on Hinds County. I do, however, strongly object to this Court's
exercising that power by throwing a monkey wrench into the county election
procedure at this late date.
13
Above all else, we should remember that no one of us is a resident of

Mississippi or the Judicial Circuit of which Mississippi is a part. The judges
who entered this order do reside in that Circuit, they heard the evidence and
oral arguments, and examined the statistics. We should not forget they
concluded that:
14
'There is no evading the fact that with the time left available it is a matter of
sheer impossibility to obtain dependable data, population figures, boundary
locations, etc. so as fairly and correctly to divide these counties into districts for
the election of single members of the Senate or the House in time for the
elections of 1971.'
15
The holding of a county election is a difficult, intricate, and time-consuming

process. Orders must be filed, ballots printed, campaigning plans laid, and
officials appointed. Many different procedures must be carefully synchronized
if the elections are to be efficiently and fairly administered. But today the Court
plunges into an unfamiliar arena and creates utter confusion for the voters,
candidates, and officials of Hinds County by subjecting them to the judicial
branch of Federal Government.
16
Needless to say I completely agree with the holding of the majority that a
reapportionment plan formulated and ordered by a federal district court need
not be approved by the United States Attorney General or the United States
District Court for the District of Columbia. Under our constitutional system it
would be strange indeed to construe 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 79
Stat. 439, 42 U.S.C. 1973c (1964 ed., Supp. V), to require that actions of a
federal court be stayed and reviewed by the Attorney General or the United
States District Court for the District of Columbia
17
I dissent.

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402 U.S.

Peggy J. CONNOR, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, et

See 403 U.S. 924, 91 S.Ct. 2220.

On May 14, 1971, a three-judge District Court, convened in the Southern

The District Court's judgment was that single-member districting would be

Motion to stay granted.

Above all else, we should remember that no one of us is a resident of

The holding of a county election is a difficult, intricate, and time-consuming

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