THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIZE AND TERMS

The exact size of the House today is 435 Not fixed by the

Constitution, but decided by Congress

The Constitution only says the number of representatives has to be related to the populations of the states

SIZE AND TERMS

Each state is guaranteed at least 1 representative in the House Including territories

Guam, Virgin Islands, D.C., and American Samoa

Non-voting members Chosen every

second year Article I, Section 2

SIZE AND TERMS

There is no limit to the number of terms a person can serve in the House Attempts in 1990s

to create limits, but failed

Congressmen did not want to vote themselves away from their jobs

REAPPORTIONMENT

Article I directs Congress to redistribute the seats after each census (10 years) To keep the

representation of each state appropriate to the number of people in each state

Reapportionment Act of 1929

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS

Who: Any registered

voter Date:

The Tuesday following the first Monday in November every even-numbered year

DISTRICTS

States, based on their population, draws boundaries for each Congressional district Each district has

around the same number of constituents Averaged 500,000

per district

GERRYMANDERING

When Congress/States would create new district lines, they would often draw them to their advantage Spread opposition

too thinly Concentrate

opposition to a few small districts

QUALIFICATIONS FOR HOUSE

At least 25 years old

Citizen for at least 7 years

Must be an inhabitant of the state running in