How were the congressional districts drawn before Wesberry v Sanders?

Answer 1

Before the decision in Wesberry v Sanders, congressional districts were drawn essentially as the state legislature saw fit. After the decision, it became necessary to have close to the same number of voters in each district.

Answer 2

Before the landmark Supreme Court case Wesberry v. Sanders in 1964, congressional districts in many states were drawn without much regard for equal population representation. Instead, districts were often drawn based on political considerations and gerrymandering tactics, allowing for unequal representation and potentially disenfranchising some voters. Wesberry v. Sanders established the principle of "one person, one vote," requiring that congressional districts be drawn to have roughly equal populations to ensure more equitable representation.