1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/ GOALS/ SWBAT
STANDARD(S) ADDRESSED: 12.4 Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government.
10-2
LEARNING OBJECTIVES/ GOALS/ SWBAT
Explain how House seats are distributed and describe the length of a term in the House.
Explain how House seats are reapportioned among the States after each census.
Describe a typical congressional election and congressional district
Analyze the formal and informal qualifications for election to the House.

2. A BULLDOG ALWAYS
Commitment
Attitude
CARES
Respect
Encouragement
Safety

3. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
Fill in your
ID NUMBER!
CH-10-2

4. Key Terms
apportion: to distribute seats in the House of Representatives among the States on the basis of their populations
Census: counting of all the people in the US
reapportion: to redistribute the seats in the House every ten years, after each census
off-year election: a Congressional election that takes place in-between presidential elections

5. Key Terms
single-member district: an election district from which voters elect a single state representative to the House of Representatives
at-large: an election system in which all candidates are elected from the state as a whole, rather than from a single district
gerrymander: drawing the boundaries of an election district so that it gives an advantage to the political party that controls the state legislature

6. Key Terms, cont.
incumbent: the person who currently holds a political office

7. The HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES began with 59 members in 1789.
November 21, 1789: North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the United States Constitution and thereby joined the Union
May 29, 1790: Rhode Island became the 13th state to ratify the United States Constitution and thereby joined the Union

8. Representative Maxine Waters
Democrat
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 43rd district
Born: August 15, (age 76), St. Louis, MO
January 3, 1993 – …

9. California's 43rd district

10. Introduction
How are the seats in the House distributed and what qualifications must members meet?
The size of the current House is 435 seats.
Seats are distributed based on the population of each state,
with each state guaranteed at least one representative.
The term is TWO YEARS
Date of elections; Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. 10

13. Size of the House
For many years the number of seats in the House increased as the country grew in population and new states were added.
The Reapportionment Act of 1929 fixed the size of the House at 435 members.
Congress can change this number if it wishes.

15. Census
Every 10 years the Census Bureau counts the national population.
The Census figures are then used to decide how many representatives each state will have until the next Census is taken.
Currently, each seat in the House represents about 700,000 people.

17. Map Question Answer: In general, the Midwest is losing population while the Southwest and parts of the Southeast are gaining population. 17

18. Reapportionment

20. Congressional Elections, cont.
Elections held in nonpresidential years are called off-year elections.
Usually the party that holds the presidency loses seats in an off-year election.
Presidential elections
Year
off-year elections
Presidential elections
Year
off-year elections
Presidential elections
Year
off-year elections
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022

22. Guided Reading Guided Reading Characteristics of House Description
Size
435 seats
Term
two years
Date of election
Tuesday following first Monday in November of each even-numbered year

23. Congressional Districts
Representatives are elected from single-member congressional districts.
The voters in each district can elect only one representative to the House.
The Westberry v. Sanders Supreme Court ruling in 1964 requires each district in a state to have similar-sized populations.
High population states have more districts than small population states.
Seven states have only one representative, so their district consists of the entire state. 23

24. AT LARGE DISTRICT

26. Gerrymandering
Checkpoint: What is gerrymandering and what are its purpose and result?
Gerrymandering involves drawing the borders of districts to favor one political party.
Tactics include clustering the opposing party’s voters in a few districts or spreading them out thinly over many districts.
Due to gerrymandering, only a few congressional districts in any election are actually at risk to switch their support from one party to the other.
Checkpoint Answer: Gerrymandering is the act of redrawing the borders of congressional districts to favor one party over others. It makes it easier for members of one party to be elected from a district and difficult for the opposing party to win.

27. Feature Question Answer: Because it makes it likely that the total number of voters in a state or community who support a given party will not be fairly represented in the actual elections held in that state or community, because they will be divided unevenly among congressional districts as a result of gerrymandering.

30. Old district 35 – New district 43

31. California's 43rd district

32. Formal Qualifications
Representatives must:
Be at least 25 years old
Have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
Be an inhabitant of the state from which he or she is elected.
Custom requires representatives to live in the districts they represent.
The House has the power to refuse to seat an elected member, to punish members, and to expel them.

33. Guided Reading Guided Reading Characteristics of Members
Qualifications
Age
at least 25 years
Length of Citizenship
at least seven years
Residence
inhabitant of State from which chosen

34. Informal Qualifications
“informal qualifications” affect a candidate’s electability
They include factors such as
gender,
ethnicity,
political experience,
name recognition,
and party affiliation.
Checkpoint Answer: Gender, ethnicity, political experience, popularity, fundraising ability, and party affiliation. 34

35. Informal Qualifications
Being an incumbent is a big advantage—more than 90 percent of those seeking reelection to the House win.
Being able to raise money is also a key. In 2008 the average cost of running a winning campaign for a seat in the House was over $1 million.
Checkpoint Answer: Gender, ethnicity, political experience, popularity, fundraising ability, and party affiliation. 35

36. Paths to Congress
Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) had no political experience before his election - Actor
Governor of California from 2003 to 2011.
Jesse Venture (I) Professional Wrestler - City mayor
Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Above image shows Heath Shuler (D., NC)

37. Paths to Congress, cont.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R., FL) was the first Cuban American and Hispanic woman elected to the House in 1989.
She holds a doctorate in education and founded a private elementary school.
She was elected to the Florida State legislature in 1982.

39. Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm
(November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) was an American politician, educator, and author.
In 1968, she became the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress, and represented New York's 12th Congressional District for seven terms from 1969 to 1983.

40. Informal Qualifications
What “informal qualifications” affect a candidate’s electability?
They include factors such as
gender,
ethnicity,
political experience,
name recognition,
and party affiliation.
Checkpoint Answer: Gender, ethnicity, political experience, popularity, fundraising ability, and party affiliation. 40

41. Guided Reading Guided Reading Key Terms
Gerrymandering is drawing congressional districts to the advantage of the party in power.
Reapportionment is redistributing the seats in the House of Representatives in keeping with the latest census.
An off-year election is an election for Congress in a year without a Presidential election.

42. Review
Now that you have learned how the seats in the House are distributed and what qualifications members must meet, go back and answer the Chapter Essential Question.
Whose views should members of Congress represent when voting?

43. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
Fill in your
ID NUMBER!
CH-10-2