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10 

SHELBY COUNTY v. HOLDER 

Opinion of the Court 

(2011) (slip op., at 9).  But the federal balance “is not just
an end in itself: Rather, federalism secures to citizens the 
liberties that derive from the diffusion of sovereign power.” 
Ibid. (internal quotation marks omitted).

More  specifically,  “ ‘the  Framers  of  the  Constitution 
intended the States to keep for themselves, as provided in 
the  Tenth  Amendment,  the  power  to  regulate  elections.’ ” 
Gregory  v.  Ashcroft,  501  U. S.  452,  461–462  (1991)  (quot-
ing Sugarman v. Dougall, 413 U. S. 634, 647 (1973); some
internal quotation marks omitted).  Of course, the Federal 
Government  retains  significant  control  over  federal  elec-
tions.  For instance, the Constitution authorizes Congress 
to establish the time and manner for electing Senators and 
Representatives.  Art. I, §4, cl. 1; see also Arizona v. Inter 
Tribal Council of Ariz., Inc., ante, at 4–6.  But States have 
“broad  powers  to  determine  the  conditions  under  which
the  right  of  suffrage  may  be  exercised.”  Carrington  v. 
Rash,  380  U. S.  89,  91  (1965)  (internal  quotation  marks
omitted);  see  also  Arizona,  ante,  at  13–15.    And  “[e]ach
State  has  the  power  to  prescribe  the  qualifications  of  its
officers  and  the  manner  in  which  they  shall  be  chosen.” 
Boyd v. Nebraska ex rel. Thayer, 143 U. S. 135, 161 (1892). 
Drawing  lines  for  congressional  districts  is  likewise  “pri-
marily the duty and responsibility of the State.”  Perry v. 
Perez, 565 U. S. ___, ___ (2012) (per curiam) (slip op., at 3)
(internal quotation marks omitted).

Not only do States retain sovereignty under the Consti-
tution,  there  is  also  a  “fundamental  principle  of  equal
sovereignty”  among  the  States.    Northwest  Austin,  supra, 
at  203  (citing  United  States  v.  Louisiana,  363  U. S.  1,  16 
(1960); Lessee of Pollard v. Hagan, 3 How. 212, 223 (1845); 
and Texas v. White, 7 Wall. 700, 725–726 (1869); emphasis
added).  Over  a  hundred  years  ago,  this  Court  explained 
that  our  Nation  “was  and  is  a  union  of  States,  equal  in
power,  dignity  and  authority.”    Coyle  v.  Smith,  221  U. S. 
559, 567 (1911).  Indeed, “the constitutional equality of the