The Legislative Branch House of Representatives

Size The total number of seats in the House of Representatives shall be distributed among the states based on each of their total populations -US Constitution Each state is guaranteed at least one seat (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont each occupy only one seat)

House of Representatives Size How we determine the number of seats (population) for each state?

House of Representatives Size How we determine the number of seats (population) for each state? The Census taken every ten years

House of Representatives Section Vocab Apportion: Distribute Prorrateo: Distribuir Seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned based on each state’s population

House of Representatives Terms -Representatives serve two-year terms -House members can serve an unlimited number of two-year terms -The next election is always around the corner

House of Representatives Terms This keeps representatives attentive to the needs of his or her state

House of Representatives Section Vocab Reapportion: Redistribute Reasignacion: Redistribucion The House of Representatives reapportions its seats every 10 years based on census results

House of Representatives Section Vocab Reapportion: Redistribute Reasignacion: Redistribucion The House of Representatives reapportions its seats every 10 years based on census results

House of Representatives Reapportionment dilemma: Too many people! The original house had 65 seats By 1910 there were 435 seats Census of the house could no longer add seats and remain effective

House of Representatives Reapportionment dilemma: Too many people! Reapportionment Act of The permanent size of the house is 435 members 2.The census is to determine how seats will be reapportioned 3.The plan is proposed to Congress and, if not rejected within 60 days, it becomes effective

House of Representatives Congressional Elections Held on the same day in every state -Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even numbered year Remember that, while the election is on an even numbered year, the term begins the following January, always on an odd numbered year

House of Representatives Section Vocab Off-year Elections: Elections that occur in non-presidential years Eleccion intermedia: Eleccion del Congreso que occure entre las elecciones presidentiales

Districts Questions/Keywords Notes Summary

House of Representatives Section Vocab Single-member Districts: voters in each district elect one of the State’s representatives from a field of candidates in that district Distrito de un solo miembro: Distrito electoral en donde los votantes eligen, en la papeleta electoral, una sola persona para cada cargo

House of Representatives Single-member districts 435 members of the House = 435 districts across the country 7 states with one seat/district 428 districts are divided among the other 428 states

House of Representatives Districts Decided by State Legislatures “Contiguous territory” it must be all one piece Each district must have as close to an equal number of inhabitants as possible Must be compact or comparatively small

House of Representatives Section Vocab At-large election: Election of an office holder by the voters of an entire unit (e.g. a state) rather than by districts Eleccion general: Eleccion de un funcionario publico por los votantes de una unidad gubernamental completa (por ejemplo, un estado o pais), en vez de por los votantes de un distrito o subdivision

House of Representatives At-large elections Was allowed as a way of voting for house members until States were allowed to decide whether to elect members at-large or on a single-member district basis At-large elections proved unfair, parties could win all the seats in the house with a slight plurality of voters States with only one representative are said to have at-large elections

Districts Questions/Keywords Notes Summary

House of Representatives Section Vocab Gerrymandering: the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of the party or group Demarcacion arbitraria: Establecimiento de los limites de los distritos electorales de modo que den ventaja a un partido