1. Congressional Membership

2. Congressional Sessions & Membership: House of Reps.
Term: 2 Years
Begin on January 3 of odd-numbered years
Each terms is 2 Sessions (Meetings)
Membership:
25 years old
Citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 years
Legal residents of the state elected
Elections held in November of even numbered years

3. Representation & Reapportionment
Every 10 years a census or population count
Reapportionment = population of each state determines the new number of representatives to which each is entitled
Redistricting = process of setting up new district lines after reapportionment has been completed
Reapportionment Act of 1929: Limits the House to 435 Members
Supreme Court: “one-person-one-vote” rule
Each district contains 650,000 people

4. Gerrymandering
The political party controlling the state government draws a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in elections
Elbridge Gerry (MA)
Packing: drawing the lines so they include as many of the opposing party’s voters as possible
Cracking: means dividing an opponent’s voters into other districts, to weaken the opponent’s voter base

5. CA District Map Los Angeles= 32-35th Districts