As counties were the basis of election districts, the result was a rural minority that dominated state politics through nearly three-quarters of the century, until a series of federal court cases required redistricting in 1972 to meet equal representation.
æz kˈaʊntiz wɜː ðə bˈeɪsɪs ʌv ᵻlˈɛkʃən dˈɪstɹɪkts, ðə ɹɪzˈʌlt wʌzɐ ɹˈʊɹɹəl maɪnˈɔːɹᵻɾi ðæt dˈɑːmᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd stˈeɪt pˈɑːlətˌɪks θɹuː nˌɪɹli θɹˈiːkwˈɔːɹɾɚz ʌvðə sˈɛntʃɚɹi, ʌntˈɪl ɐ sˈɪɹiz ʌv fˈɛdɚɹəl kˈoːɹt kˈeɪsᵻz ɹᵻkwˈaɪɚd ɹˌiːdˈɪstɹɪktɪŋ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː tə mˈiːt ˈiːkwəl ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntˈeɪʃən.