From Legal Theory to Practical Application: A How†To for Performing Vote Dilution Analyses

Objectives The Supreme Court opinion in Thornburg v. Gingles three decades ago established a three†prong test whereby a vote dilution claim can be substantiated. This article provides practitioners and social scientists with a working understanding of the operational steps involved in analyzing a vote dilution claim. Methods A brief primer is offered on how to translate the Gingles preconditions into a set of practical, real†world tests. At each stage, we buttress these explanations with examples from actual court proceedings. Results This primer furnishes readers with the basic knowledge necessary to carry out a vote dilution analysis under the current legal standard. Conclusion While the generic process for conducting a test of vote dilution has been well†defined by decades of case law, practitioners should be mindful that some aspects of these procedures will continue to be affected by future court proceedings.