Constitution Definitions

District One of the territorial areas into which an entire state or country, county, municipality, or other political subdivision is divided, for judicial, political, electoral, or administrative purposes

Apportionment The proportional distribution of the number of members of the U.S. House of Representatives on the basis of the population of each state

Gerrymandering Drawing of electoral district lines in a way that gives advantage to a particular political party

Single Member District District that returns one officeholder to a body with multiple members

At-Large Election At-Large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body (for example, a city, state or province, nation, club or association), rather than a subset of that membership

Cloture A procedure used in the Senate to block debate on a bill 3/5ths Member vote for Cloture

Filibuster A tactic for defeating a bill in the Senate by talking until the bill’s sponsor withdraws it

Expressed/Enumerated Powers Powers that Congress has that are specifically listed in the Constitution.

Concurrent Powers Powers that are shared by the state and the federal government

Reserved Powers The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people

Implied Powers The necessary and proper clause permits Congress to exercise implied powers; that is, to identify and use powers that are logical extensions or implications of the other powers delegated in the Constitution

Inherent Powers Powers are those that the Constitution has not expressly given but which "necessarily derive from an office, position, or status" of the national government