Court Opinion

ID: 9729547
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 14:41:58.516873+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:59.427151
License: Public Domain

O’Hara, J.
(concurring). With recorded reluctance I join in the direction to the apportionment commission to adopt and publish the plan designated the alternate Austin-Kleiner plan for the 1964 legislative elections.
I am mandated by the United States supreme court to accept the principle of “equality of population as nearly as practicable” as the pre-eminent test. With this principle I am entitled to equate the maintenance of the territorial integrity of political subdivisions. To what extent I do not know, except as that extent is suggested in WMCA, Inc., v. Lomenzo, Secretary of State, 377 US 633 (84 S C 1418, 12 L ed 2d 568).
With this as the only existing guideline I must accept it for the imminent 1964 legislative elections and thus take the action I do here.
I am not in accord with the concept that both houses of a bicameral State legislature cannot be apportioned to recognize area interests in the legislature of a State of such divergent socio-political complexion as ours.
I am in specific disagreement with the repudiation of the so-called “Federal analogy” argument. It *256strikes, in my view, at the very heart of the check and balance system.
I must accept the directive of the United States supreme court as I understand it. That is to subordinate all other considerations to the equality of population as nearly as practicable. Hopefully, there will be determinative litigation that may well more nearly define the relationship of equality of population with those other historic factors that have been considered in legislative apportionment of the several States.
I concur with the majority order of the Court.