Who authored the majority opinion in Shaw v. Reno?

• A. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• B. Sandra Day O'Connor
• C. John Roberts
• D. Antonin Scalia

Answer: (B)

The main point here is who writes the Court’s ruling when a case hinges on how race is used in drawing electoral districts. In Shaw v. Reno, the majority opinion was written by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. She explains that using race as the primary factor in creating district lines triggers strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause. The North Carolina plan produced an unusually shaped district that concentrated voters of a single race, which signaled an intent to segregate voters by race rather than to pursue neutral, legitimate redistricting goals. Because race was the predominant criterion and there wasn’t a narrowly tailored, compelling justification for that approach, the Court struck down the plan. This case clarifies that while protecting minority voting power is legitimate, race-based districting must pass strict scrutiny and be justified by more than just racial balancing.