Midterm Elections

Congress

House of Representatives Senate

435 members2 year term

local districts

100 members6 year term

state

Powers

Congress

House of Representatives Senate

Impeach federal officalsOriginates all revenue raising bills

Convict federal officals forimpeachable offensesAdvise and Consent role on presidential powers

Reapportionment

• Up through 1910 census, size of the House membership expanded as the population expanded

• 1911 Congress capped the membership at 435, so since 1920 census Congress must reapportion seats among the states to reflect shifts in population growth rates

Redistricting

• Redrawing legislative districts within states to reflect population shifts and reapportionment results

• Occurs every 10 years, after the decennial census

• Next census is 2010• Districts are drawn according to state

government plans (some states use the legislature, some use special “commissions”

Gerrymander

• Drawing congressional districts for partisan advantage

Gerrymander

Packing

1

2

3

4

Gerrymander

Cracking

1

23

4

Redistricting

• Since the 1960s though, districts are required to contain roughly the same number of people– Baker v. Carr (1964)– Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)– Drawing gerrymandered districts is more

difficult now than it was, but it can still be done

Elections

• Impact of districting:– fewer “competitive” seats

– higher re-election rates for incumbents

– 86% in House in 2010– 86% in Senate in 2010*

*depending on the Alaska vote

Elections

• Other factors contributing to incumbent advantage:– Fundraising

• Check the Center for Responsive Politics website for the spending differentials among challengers and incumbents

http://www.opensecrets.org/races/index.asp

Elections

• Other factors contributing to incumbent advantage– Name recognition among electorate– Easier access to media– Easier access to electorate

• “franking” privilege

Useful Links

• Overview of the Legislative Process:http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html

• Rules of the 110th Congress (House)http://www.rules.house.gov/ruleprec/house_rules.htm

• Process in the Senate Legislativehttp://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlawtoc.html