WASHINGTON—In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision affirming that the “one person, one vote” standard means states may draw their legislative districts based on total population, SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement:

“The Supreme Court’s unanimous opinion upholds our nation’s constitutional history, legal precedent and the longstanding practice of states’ counting every person within their borders. The court’s welcome decision in Evenwel v. Abbott means urban areas with large numbers of children, immigrant families, racial and ethnic minorities, and other under-represented communities will not lose their critical political representation.

“Working families celebrate a decision that upholds every person’s right to be counted, especially as the country witnesses an election season that has been rife with extremist rhetoric attacking people of varying cultural, religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds. In the meantime, working people continue to stand for the restoration and strengthening of the Voting Rights Act to ensure every American is treated fairly at the ballot box.

“This moment is also a reminder that the Supreme Court is of extraordinary importance to our democracy. It will function best when there are nine justices, and it is time for Senate Republicans to quit playing games and hold hearings on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.”

###