Kramer v. Union Free School District No. 15

Kramer v. Union Free School District No. 15
Argued January 16, 1969
Decided June 16, 1969
Full case nameKramer v. Union Free School District No. 15, Town of Hempstead
Citations395 U.S. 621 (more)
89 S. Ct. 1886; 23 L. Ed. 2d 583; 1969 U.S. LEXIS 1261
Case history
PriorMotion to dismiss granted, 259 F. Supp. 164 (E.D.N.Y. 1966); petition for writ of mandamus denied, 385 U.S. 807 (1966); reversed, 379 F.2d 491 (2d Cir. 1967); case dismissed, 282 F. Supp. 70 (E.D.N.Y. 1968); probable jurisdiction noted, 393 U.S. 818 (1968).
Holding
Where a state statute grants the right to vote to some bona fide residents of requisite age and citizenship and denies the franchise to others, it must be determined whether the exclusions are necessary to promote a compelling state interest.
Court membership
Chief Justice
Earl Warren
Associate Justices
Hugo Black · William O. Douglas
John M. Harlan II · William J. Brennan Jr.
Potter Stewart · Byron White
Thurgood Marshall
Case opinions
MajorityWarren, joined by Douglas, Brennan, White, Marshall
DissentStewart, joined by Black, Harlan

Kramer v. Union Free School District No. 15, 395 U.S. 621 (1969), was a United States Supreme Court decision in which the Court struck down a longstanding New York State statute requiring that to be eligible to vote in certain school district elections, an individual must either own or rent taxable real property within the school district, be the spouse of a property owner or lessor, or be the parent or guardian of a child attending a public school in the district. By a 5-to-3 vote, the court held that these voting requirements violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.