kirkpatrick preisler argued january decided april together heinkel et al preisler et also appeal missouri congressional redistricting statute created districts varied ideal based census figures district found state legislature relied census reports used less accurate data rejected plan smaller variances simply switching counties one district another produced plan markedly reduced variances accordingly held statute meet constitutional standard equal representation nearly practicable state failed provide acceptable justification variances held art requires create congressional districts provide equal representation equal numbers people limited population variances unavoidable despite effort achieve absolute equality justification shown pp establishment acceptable de minimis variance arbitrary inconsistent nearly practicable standard commanded art encourage legislators strive de minimis range rather equality population variances among missouri congressional districts unavoidable pp unless population variances among districts shown resulted despite state effort achieve equality state must justify variance matter small missouri justified variances pp variances based creation districts specific interest orientations contrary constitutional requirement equal representation consideration practical partisan politics justify population disparities pp even assuming apportionment may based eligible voter population rather total population missouri made serious attempt ascertain number eligible voters district apportion basis pp population shifts accurately predicted may properly consider apply missouri done throughout state systematic manner claims geographic compactness may require deviations equality generally unconvincing missouri claim compactness based merely unaesthetic appearance congressional boundaries map result changes achieve greater equality pp thomas downey first assistant attorney general missouri argued cause appellants briefs norman anderson attorney general pro se louren wood assistant attorney general david collins argued cause filed brief appellants irving achtenberg argued cause appellees cases brief paul preisler pro se justice brennan delivered opinion wesberry sanders held hile may possible draw congressional districts mathematical precision art constitution requires nearly practicable one man vote congressional election worth much another required cases elucidate nearly practicable standard missouri congressional redistricting statute challenged cases resulted state second attempt congressional redistricting since wesberry decided district western district missouri declared missouri congressional districting act effect unconstitutional wesberry withheld judicial relief legislature state missouri opportunity deal problem preisler secretary state missouri supp thereafter general assembly missouri enacted redistricting statute statute declared unconstitutional district however retained jurisdiction review plan might enacted preisler secretary state missouri supp aff sub nom kirkpatrick preisler general assembly enacted statute attack mo rev cum supp attorney general missouri moved district declaration sustaining act order dismissing case based best population data available legislature census figures absolute population equality among missouri congressional districts mean population district districts created act however varied ideal within range difference least populous districts thus percentage terms populous district mathematical ideal least populous district found general assembly fact relied census figures instead based plan less accurate data addition district found general assembly rejected redistricting plan submitted provided districts smaller population variances among finally district found simple device switching counties one district another produced plan markedly reduced variances among districts based findings district one judge dissenting held act meet constitutional standard equal representation equal numbers people nearly practicable state failed make acceptable justification variances supp noted probable jurisdiction stayed district judgment pending appeal expressly authorized state conduct congressional elections pursuant act affirm missouri primary argument population variances among districts created act small considered de minimis reason satisfy nearly practicable limitation require independent justification alternatively missouri argues justification variances established evidence contended general assembly provided variances legitimate regard factors representation distinct interest groups integrity county lines compactness districts population trends within state high proportion military personnel college students nonvoters districts political realities legislative interplay reasons rejecting de minimis approach see nonarbitrary way pick cutoff point population variances suddenly become de minimis moreover consider certain range variances de minimis encourage legislators strive range rather equality nearly practicable district found example least one leading missouri legislator deemed proper attempt achieve level variance rather seek population equality equal representation equal numbers people principle designed prevent debasement voting power diminution access elected representatives toleration even small deviations detracts purposes therefore command art create congressional districts provide equal representation equal numbers people permits limited population variances unavoidable despite effort achieve absolute equality justification shown clearly population variances among missouri congressional districts unavoidable indeed seriously contended missouri legislature came close equality might come district found contrary two reapportionment efforts missouri legislature since wesberry leadership political parties senate house given nothing better work makeshift bill produced candidly recognized expedient political compromise legislative proponents act frankly conceded district hearing resort simple device transferring entire political subdivisions known population contiguous districts produced districts much closer numerical equality district found moreover missouri legislature relied inaccurate data constructing districts rejected without consideration plan markedly reduced population variances among districts finally simply inconceivable population disparities magnitude found missouri plan unavoidable new york apportionment plan regions divided districts almost absolute population equality described wells rockefeller post provides striking evidence state legislature tries achieve almost complete numerical equality among state districts sum seems quite obvious state come much closer providing districts equal population swann adams therefore turn question whether record establishes legally acceptable justification population variances burden state present acceptable reasons variations among populations various districts swann adams supra ii missouri contends variances necessary avoid fragmenting areas distinct economic social interests thereby diluting effective representation interests congress accept population variances large small order create districts specific interest orientations antithetical basic premise constitutional command provide equal representation equal numbers people either history alone economic sorts group interests permissible factors attempting justify disparities representation citizens history economic interests cast votes reynolds sims supra see also davis mann also reject missouri argument reasonableness population differences congressional districts review must viewed context legislative interplay legislative leaders testified act question opinion reasonable legislative compromise must remembered practical political problems inherent enactment congressional reapportionment legislation agree district rule one practicability rather political practicality problems created partisan politics justify apportionment otherwise pass constitutional muster similarly find legally acceptable argument variances justified necessarily result state attempt avoid fragmenting political subdivisions drawing congressional district lines along existing county municipal political subdivision boundaries state interest constructing congressional districts manner suggested minimize opportunities partisan gerrymandering argument deviations equality justified order inhibit legislators engaging partisan gerrymandering variant argument already rejected considerations practical politics justify population disparities missouri contends certain population variances resulted legislature taking account fact percentage eligible voters among total population differed significantly district district districts contained disproportionately large numbers military personnel stationed bases maintained armed forces students attendance universities colleges may question whether distribution congressional seats except according total population ever permissible art assuming without deciding apportionment may based eligible voter population rather total population missouri plan still unacceptable missouri made attempt ascertain number eligible voters district apportion accordingly best made haphazard adjustments scheme based total population overpopulation eighth district explained away presence district military base university attempt made account presence universities districts disproportionate numbers newly arrived residents city louis even eighth district indication excess population allocated district corresponds alleged extraordinary additional numbers noneligible voters missouri also argues population disparities congressional districts result legislature attempt take account projected population shifts recognize congressional districting plan usually effect least years five congressional elections situations may arise substantial population shifts period anticipated shifts predicted high degree accuracy redistricting may properly consider mean open avenue subterfuge findings population trends must thoroughly documented applied throughout state systematic ad hoc manner missouri attempted justification substantial underpopulation fourth sixth districts falls far short standard district found evidence general assembly adopted policy population projection devising districts district enacting act finally missouri claims deviations equality consequence legislature attempt ensure congressional district geographically compact however reynolds sims supra said modern developments improvements transportation communications make rather hollow claims deviations representation validly based solely geographical considerations arguments allowing deviations order insure effective representation sparsely settled areas prevent legislative districts becoming large availability access citizens representatives impaired today part unconvincing event missouri claim compactness based solely upon unaesthetic appearance map congressional boundaries result attempt effect changes district lines according lower achieve greater equality state preference pleasingly shaped districts hardly justify population variances affirmed dissenting opinion justice white see post footnotes variation district population ideal one two three four five six seven eight nine ten contrary appellants assertion sustained constitutionality congressional districting plan population variances magnitude found missouri plan connor johnson issue presented whether districting plan involved racial gerrymandering alton tawes kirk gong involved situations lower courts reapportioned districts emergency basis affirmances based agreement use plans circumstance view plans question achieved equality nearly practicable brief appellants dubious event temptation gerrymander much inhibited since legislature still free choose several subdivisions political complexion include particular congressional district besides opportunities gerrymandering greatest freedom construct unequally populated districts artistry political cartographer put highest test must work constituencies equal population times skills compared surgeon work fixed arduous rules however mapmaker free allocate varying populations different districts butcher cleaver replaces scalpel results reflect sharply difference method operation hacker congressional districting rev justice fortas concurring concur judgment cases subscribe standard announces obligatory upon state legislatures facing difficult problem reapportionment congressional elections wesberry sanders recognized may possible draw congressional districts mathematical precision held constitution requires drawn nearly practicable representative cast vote behalf number people interprets nearly practicable mean state required make effort achieve precise mathematical equality also requires remaining population disparities matter small justified proceeds reject seriatim every type justification possibly every one advanced agree state legislatures required make effort achieve result allocates population residents state roughly equal numbers district based upon orderly objective method view state properly arrive figures current population taking latest census returns making modifications allow population movements since last census seems find acceptable also opinion discount census figures take account presence significant transient nonresident population particular areas adjustment indicates doubt state proceed appropriate population basis suggested producing approximately equal districts trial courts judgment justified declining disapprove result merely small disparities absence evidence gerrymandering deliberate arbitrary distortion district boundaries populations partisan personal political purposes considering whether state approximated equal division allocation population sympathize majority view de minimis rule allowable disparities tends demean theory practice constitutional objective suggests necessary even aim equality hand reject de minimis statement limits rule equality lead us toss aside wise recognition inscrutability fact imperfection man implicit wesberry standard nearly practicable phrase refer merely arithmetical possibilities arithmetically possible achieve division state districts precisely equal size measured decennial census population base carry theoretical possibility however legislature might ignore boundaries common sense running congressional district line middle corridor apartment house even dividing residents house two districts majority opinion suggest extreme practical application teaching mention example may dramatize fallacy inflexible insistence upon mathematical exactness tolerance reality whatever might merits insistence absolute equality attained majority pursuit precision search fact solution apportionment districting problem best approximation based upon figures always degree obsolete purpose served insistence precision unattainable inherent imprecisions population data districting must based base missouri legislature adhered precisely according majority decennial census legislature plan review enacted assuming perfect precision census taken movement population within state well migration substantial disparities arisen real distribution population state reflected census base zealously protected nothing said taken indicating believe wesberry standard requires high degree correspondence demonstrated population residence figures district divisions fix least relatively early stage reapportionment effort percentage figure permissible variation present cases however agree judgment district affirmed history reapportionment legislature failure comply plain patient directions district failure legislature use either accurate census figures systematically obtained figures districts factors strongly support district refusal accept missouri plan true average variation majority quaintly calls ideal meaning census figures three districts variation also true finding gerrymandering regardless possibility variances within range might situations considered tolerable within wesberry standard agree sustain district rejection plan light history cases record plan preparation find constitutionally entirely acceptable state base apportionment numbers residents rather total population district time districts established permit adjustments take account example distortions resulting large numbers nonresidents military installations colleges area avery midland county argued dissenting opinion consideration disparate local interests might appropriate respect defining certain types local government units exercising limited governmental powers noted however factors justify departing one man one vote theory state legislatures might add congressional districts general basic nature function performed basic enumeration error census variation observed successive enumerations area low second surveys selected areas conducted specially trained enumerators produced counts varying whole population counts regular enumerators particular groups population variance significantly larger see bureau census evaluation research program censuses population housing accuracy data population characteristics measured ser table far significant variations successive enumerations errors virtually undercountings produced inherent limitations enumerating system census bureau estimate indicates census counted whole population people found counted enumerators undercounting evenly distributed whole population instead members certain groups notably young adult negroes far likely missed enumerators nonwhites age groups census estimated understate actual population young adult negro males undercounting reached nearly age groups see generally siegel completeness coverage nonwhite population census current estimates implications report conference social statistics city washington june heer heavily undercounted groups evenly distributed country differential rates undercounting produce divergences actual relative populations particular areas indicated census census bureau estimated missouri counties lost population gained independent city louis lost louis county gained outside louis city county absolute change ranged increase charles county decrease dunklin county percentage change ranged increase charles county decrease holt county estimates population counties july report current population reports population estimates ser bureau census october cf reynolds sims present deem expedient attempt spell precise constitutional tests marginally permissible one state may unsatisfactory another depending particular circumstances case developing body doctrine basis appears us provide satisfactory means arriving detailed constitutional requirements area state legislative apportionment