Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections

Summary

The Court held that Virginia's requirement that voters pay a poll tax violates the Equal Protection Clause because wealth or payment of a fee is unrelated to voter qualifications and cannot be made an electoral standard. It reversed the three-judge District Court, which had dismissed the challenge based on prior precedent upholding poll taxes. Justice Black, dissenting, would have adhered to the prior rule, while Justice Harlan, joined by Justice Stewart, would have affirmed on the ground that the tax had a rational basis.