The House represents smaller districts, typically around 700,000 residents, though this can vary.
There are 435 members, each serving a two-year term, with all members up for reelection every two years.
Members are directly elected.
The House initiates revenue bills and impeachment proceedings.
It is designed to be responsive to the people's will.
House Leadership Structure
The Speaker of the House holds significant power, more so than any individual member.
The Speaker is second in line of presidential succession.
They appoint committee chairs.
The Speaker assigns bills to committees.
The Speaker schedules floor votes and rules on procedural matters.
Beneath the Speaker are the House Majority Leader and Majority Whip for the majority party and the Minority Leader and Minority Whip for the minority party.
Roles in Leadership
The Speaker acts as the leader of the majority party in the House.
The Speaker, Majority Leader, and Majority Whip strategize and manage the House for the majority party.
The Majority and Minority Whips persuade party members to vote as leadership desires.
Whips act as liaisons between leadership and rank-and-file members to gauge vote counts.
Current House Leadership
Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, California's 12th District).
House Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer (Democrat, Maryland's 5th District).
House Majority Whip: Jim Clyburn (Democrat, South Carolina's 6th District).
House Minority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (Republican, California's 23rd District).
House Minority Whip: Steve Scalise (Republican, Louisiana's 1st District).
Reapportionment and Redistricting
The House is designed to be proportionate, with representation based on population.
Reapportionment: Determining how many representatives a state gets based on population.
Redistricting: Altering the boundaries of districts, which is generally controlled by state governments.
Redistricting is necessary when:
A state's population grows or declines significantly, gaining or losing a district.
Population shifts within a state cause imbalances between districts.
Roughly, each district has to be around 700,000 residents.
Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering involves redrawing district boundaries to benefit a political party.
The term originates from a political cartoon about Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts in 1812.
The goal is to create as many districts with a secure majority as possible by:
Packing: Concentrating opposing party voters into as few districts as possible.
Cracking: Spreading opposing party voters thinly across multiple districts.
Gerrymandering Index
Mathematicians have developed a gerrymandering index based on compactness.
Districts are ranked from least to most gerrymandered.
Compact districts tend to have a strong central tendency.
As of 2014:
Maryland and North Carolina were among the most gerrymandered states.
Indiana and Nevada were among the least gerrymandered states.
Republicans drew six of the most gerrymandered districts, but Democrats can still win in those districts.
Gerrymandering is generally easier in heavily populated areas.
Examples of Gerrymandered Districts
North Carolina's 12th District: Connects urban centers via highways, favors Democrats.
Maryland's 3rd District: Discontinuous shape due to waterways, dubbed the "praying mantis."
Florida's 5th District: Long, vertical line down the state.
Pennsylvania's 7th District: Odd shape, referred to as "Goofy kicking Donald Duck."
Texas' 33rd District: Another oddly shaped district.
Addressing Gerrymandering
21 states have adopted bipartisan or nonpartisan citizens commissions to handle redistricting.
California's Proposition 11 and 20 established a citizens commission for state and federal legislative offices, respectively.
Website: redrawthelines.ca.gov for California's redistricting commission.