Changes

Senator Dirksen proposed a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court decision in ''Reynolds v. Sims'', and made this statement:

Senator Dirksen proposed a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court decision in ''Reynolds v. Sims'', and made this statement:

{{"the forces of our national life are not brought to bear on public questions solely in proportion to the weight of numbers. If they were, the 6 million citizens of the Chicago area would hold sway in the Illinois Legislature without consideration of the problems of their 4 million fellows who are scattered in 100 other counties. Under the Court's new decree, California could be dominated by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Michigan by Detroit.}}

{{cquote|the forces of our national life are not brought to bear on public questions solely in proportion to the weight of numbers. If they were, the 6 million citizens of the Chicago area would hold sway in the Illinois Legislature without consideration of the problems of their 4 million fellows who are scattered in 100 other counties. Under the Court's new decree, California could be dominated by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Michigan by Detroit.}}

But Democrats opposed Dirksen's proposed amendment, and in Illinois (Dirksen's home state) they added a special provision to the Illinois (State) Constitution to require a 3/5th majority in order to ratify any constitution.  By increasing the threshold for ratifying constitutional amendments from 51% to 60%, Democrats hoped to block Dirken's constitutional amendment to overturn ''Reynolds v. Sims''.

But Democrats opposed Dirksen's proposed amendment, and in Illinois (Dirksen's home state) they added a special provision to the Illinois (State) Constitution to require a 3/5th majority in order to ratify any constitution.  By increasing the threshold for ratifying constitutional amendments from 51% to 60%, Democrats hoped to block Dirken's constitutional amendment to overturn ''Reynolds v. Sims''.