The plaintiffs claimed that the Wisconsin redistricting map violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, by discriminating against voters of the disadvantaged political party, preventing their ballots from resulting in “fair and effective representation” (Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533, 565-66 (1964)). They also contended that the plan violates the freedom of expression provisions of the First Amendment by constituting unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination, since the map penalizes citizens by diluting their electoral influence as a result of their association with a political party or their expression of their political views.