In the Matter of the Application of Andrew D. Baird, Appellants v. the Board of Supervisors of the County of…

Summary

The Court held that the New York Constitution requires boards of supervisors to divide counties into assembly districts that are as nearly equal in population as practicable, and that the extreme population disparities in the districts drawn for Kings County violated this requirement, rendering the division void and justifying a writ of mandamus. The Court also affirmed that any citizen has standing to seek mandamus to compel performance of this public duty.