Structure of Congress Chapter 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 Voters in each district directly elect only one person in their own district Voters in each district directly elect only one person in their own district

At-Large Ballot Voters could vote for all the state’s representatives no matter what district they lived in. This method has been done away with and is no longer in use today Voters could vote for all the state’s representatives no matter what district they lived in. This method has been done away with and is no longer in use today Gerrymandering is when political parties will redraw district boundaries to their advantage. Gerrymandering is when political parties will redraw district boundaries to their advantage. Lines are usually drawn either to concentrate the opposition’s voters in one or few districts therefore leaving the other districts safe for the dominant party ; or to spread the opposition as thinly as possible limiting the ability of the opposition to win anywhere. Lines are usually drawn either to concentrate the opposition’s voters in one or few districts therefore leaving the other districts safe for the dominant party ; or to spread the opposition as thinly as possible limiting the ability of the opposition to win anywhere.

Qualifications for the House of Representatives 25 years old 25 years old Citizen for at least 7 years Citizen 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 Representatives at the national level. There are 435 members in the House of Representatives at the national level. Missouri has 9 people in the House of Representatives representing our state Missouri has 9 people in the House of Representatives representing our state

Qualifications for the Senate 30 years of age 30 years of age Must be citizen for nine years Must be citizen for nine years Must live in the state he or she is elected in Must 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 Congress Average member is white, male, and in his mid-50s Average member is white, male, and in his mid-50s Nearly all are married and have on average two children Nearly all are married and have on average two children 1/3 of the members of the House and ½ of the Senate are lawyers. Only a handful were born outside of the United States 1/3 of the members of the House and ½ of the Senate are lawyers. Only a handful were born outside of the United States Jeanette Rankin was the first women elected in Congress in 1916 Jeanette Rankin was the first women elected in Congress in 1916

Constituents Are the people in the Congressmen’s state or district they are representing Are the people in the Congressmen’s state or district they are representing Based on the beliefs of their constituents each lawmakers has four voting options when they vote on a political issue Based on the beliefs of their constituents each lawmakers has four voting options when they vote on a political issue

Trustees Believe that each issue should be decided on its merit. Believe that each issue should be decided on its merit. These Congressmen use their conscious and independent judgment to vote on the issues despite what their constituents or political parties expect These Congressmen use their conscious and independent judgment to vote on the issues despite what their constituents or political parties expect

Delegates Believe they should vote how the constituents or voters back home want them to. Believe they should vote how the constituents or voters back home want them to. They often keep their constituents best interests at hand despite their own personal objections or opinions They often keep their constituents best interests at hand despite their own personal objections or opinions

Partisans Vote mainly on the view of their political party Vote mainly on the view of their political party These types of Congressmen will toe the party line and vote along with the rest of their party on an important issue These types of Congressmen will toe the party line and vote along with the rest of their party on an important issue

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