CH. 10-2 THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AMERICAN GOVERNMENTCH. 10-2 THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSIZE AND TERMS435 Representativesset by CongressEach state has at least 1 representative based on populationOnly 1 representative AK, DE, MT, ND, SD, VT, WYDC, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa elect a delegate to represent them in the house (not full members)Article I, Section 2, Clause 1Representatives shall bechosen every second YearShort term means that representatives need to pay close attention to the folks back homeNo term limitsREAPPORTIONMENTArticle I directs Congress to REAPPORTION (redistribute) the seats in the house after each DECENNIAL (10 years) censusOriginal House had 65 members

A GROWING NATION1800146 seats; 1810186 seats1910AZ & NM added435 seats1920No reapportionment completed (violated constitution)THE REAPPORTIONMENT ACT OF 1929Set up automatic reapportionment1) set up permanent size of the House at 435each seat represents approx. 650,0002) Census Bureau determines plan for number of representatives for each state after census3) President sends plan sent to Congress for approval4) If plan not rejected by either house within 60 days, it becomes effective

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONSDATECongressional elections are held on the same day in every state1872Election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday1872Written or printed ballots used1899Voting machines approved

OFF-YEAR ELECTIONSElections that occur in years without a presidential electionUsually the party in power (party that holds the presidency) loses seats during off-year elections(chart p. 269Gains and Losses in Off-year elections)

DISTRICTSSINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTvoters in each district elect 1 person to be the representative for that districtAT-LARGEall representatives are elected from the state without districts1842At-Large elections were outlawed by Congress1872Districts required to have as nearly as practicable an equal number of inhabitants1901All districts needed to be of compact territory (small geographic area)GERRYMANDERINGDistricts are drawn to the advantage of the political party that controls the States legislatureGerrymandering is wide-spread today at all levels of governmentTwo reasons:1) to concentrate the oppositions voters in one or a few districts, thus leaving other districts comfortably safe2) to spread the opposition as thinly as possible among several districts, limiting the oppositions ability to win anywhere in the region.Congressional districts varied widely with regard to populationWESBERRY v. SANDERS (1964)Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution demanded that the States draw congressional districts of substantially equal populations

One person, one voteGerrymandering according to race is a violation of the XVth AmendmentQUALIFICATIONS FOR HOUSE MEMBERSFORMAL QUALIFICATIONS1) at least 25 years of age2) citizen of the USA for at least 7 years3) live in the state you are elected from

Custom says you must live in the district you are representingThe House decides about any challenge to an electionThe House can refuse to seat a member by majority voteThe House can punish its Members for disorderly behavior by majority voteThe House can expel a member by 2/3 voteINFORMAL QUALIFICATIONSHave to do with the candidates vote-getting abilities:1) Party identification2) Name familiarity3) Gender4) Ethnic characteristics5) Political experienceThe right combination of these factors can help a candidate win nomination and election.The wrong combination will almost certainly spell defeatThe End