Structure of CongressStructure of CongressChapter 10Chapter 10

Congress

Congress meets in Washington D.C.

It has 535 total members.

It meets on January 3 of every odd numbered year. So when will the next Congress meet to start a new Congressional session?

Single Member District Single Member District

Voters in each district directly elect only one Voters in each district directly elect only one person in their own districtperson in their own district

At-Large BallotAt-Large Ballot

Voters could vote for all the state’s representatives no Voters could vote for all the state’s representatives no matter what district they lived in. This method has matter what district they lived in. This method has been done away with and is no longer in use todaybeen done away with and is no longer in use today

Gerrymandering is when political parties will redraw Gerrymandering is when political parties will redraw district boundaries to their advantage.district boundaries to their advantage.

Lines are usually drawn either to concentrate the Lines are usually drawn either to concentrate the opposition’s voters in one or few districts therefore opposition’s voters in one or few districts therefore leaving the other districts safe for the dominant leaving the other districts safe for the dominant party ; or to spread the opposition as thinly as party ; or to spread the opposition as thinly as possible limiting the ability of the opposition to win possible limiting the ability of the opposition to win anywhere.anywhere.

Qualifications for the Qualifications for the House of House of

RepresentativesRepresentatives 25 years old25 years old

Citizen for at least 7 yearsCitizen for at least 7 years

Live in the state he or she is elected Live in the state he or she is elected

There are 435 members in the House of There are 435 members in the House of Representatives at the national level.Representatives at the national level.

Missouri has 9 people in the House of Missouri has 9 people in the House of Representatives representing our stateRepresentatives representing our state

Qualifications for the Qualifications for the SenateSenate

30 years of age30 years of age

Must be citizen for nine yearsMust be citizen for nine years

Must live in the state he or she is elected inMust live in the state he or she is elected in

There are 100 Senators in Washington D.C.There are 100 Senators in Washington D.C.

2 from each state( regardless of size)2 from each state( regardless of size)

How many senators do we have?How many senators do we have?

How long are their terms?How long are their terms?

Information about Information about CongressCongress

Average member is white, male, and in his Average member is white, male, and in his mid-50smid-50s

Nearly all are married and have on average Nearly all are married and have on average two childrentwo children

1/3 of the members of the House and ½ of 1/3 of the members of the House and ½ of the Senate are lawyers. Only a handful were the Senate are lawyers. Only a handful were born outside of the United Statesborn outside of the United States

Jeanette Rankin was the first women elected Jeanette Rankin was the first women elected in Congress in 1916in Congress in 1916

Constituents Constituents

Are the people in the Congressmen’s state or Are the people in the Congressmen’s state or district they are representingdistrict they are representing

Based on the beliefs of their constituents Based on the beliefs of their constituents each lawmakers has four voting options when each lawmakers has four voting options when they vote on a political issuethey vote on a political issue

TrusteesTrustees

Believe that each issue should be decided on Believe that each issue should be decided on its merit.its merit.

These Congressmen use their conscious and These Congressmen use their conscious and independent judgment to vote on the issues independent judgment to vote on the issues despite what their constituents or political despite what their constituents or political parties expectparties expect

DelegatesDelegates

Believe they should vote how the constituents Believe they should vote how the constituents or voters back home want them to.or voters back home want them to.

They often keep their constituents best They often keep their constituents best interests at hand despite their own personal interests at hand despite their own personal objections or opinionsobjections or opinions

PartisansPartisans

Vote mainly on the view of their political Vote mainly on the view of their political party party

These types of Congressmen will toe the These types of Congressmen will toe the party line and vote along with the rest of their party line and vote along with the rest of their party on an important issueparty on an important issue

PoliticosPoliticos

Try and combine basic elements of the three. Try and combine basic elements of the three. Sometimes they vote based on their opinion, Sometimes they vote based on their opinion, sometimes they vote based on the political sometimes they vote based on the political party the belong to, and sometimes they party the belong to, and sometimes they would vote based on what the constituents would vote based on what the constituents want.want.