Note
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government 4.2 quiz notes
The house
Size of house
Total number of seats determined by congress
Apportioned among the states based on their population
6 states have only on AK DE ND SD VT WY
MT gained its 2nd following the 2020 census
DC Guam US Virgin Islands and a,Eric’s Samoa each have a delegate PR has a resident commissioner cannot vote on bills
Terms for representatives
Chosen every 2nd year
No term limits
Reapportionment of congress
A growing nation
435 seats by 1912
Reapportionment act of 1929
Permanent size of house is 435 seats
Census bureau determines the number of seats each state should have following each census
The president must send the bureaus plan to congress
Becomes in effect if not rejected by either house after 60 days
Congressional districts
Constitution does not mention districts
Single member district voters elect one of the states representatives from a list of candidates for that district
At large system representatives are elected statewide abolished by congress in 1842
Each state given the responsibility of drawing their own congressional districts made up of contiguous territory
1872 congress commanded that each district should have approximately the same number of people
1901 must be a compact territory
All of these requirements were left out of the reapportionment act of 1932 court determined that therefore they have been repealed
Gerrymandering
Districts drawn to the advantage of the party that controls the state legislature
Concentration the oppositions votes in as few districts as possible
Spread the opposition as thinly as possible
Creates safe seats in congress
Wesberry v sanders 1964
States must draw congressional districts of substantially equal populations
Benefitted urban areas
Gomillion v lightfoot 1990 majority minority districts are unconstitutional
Partisan gerrymandering
Excessively partisan districts may be unconstitutional
2003 republicans in Texas redistricted between censuses after a special session of the legislature called the governor
United Latin American citizens v Perry 2006 upheld the rights of states to do this.
House elections
Setting the date
Since 1872 congress has required that elections be held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November
Voting machines permitted since 1899
Off year elections
More often than not the president's party loses seats in off year elections those held in years when there is no presidential election.
Qualifications for Office in the House
Formal qualifications
At least 25 years old
Be a citizen of the us for at least the last 7 years
Be an inhabitant of the state from which they are elected custom dictates that they live in that district
Imposing additional standards
Polygamists socialists
Powell v McCormack 1969 house could not exclude a me,bet elect who meets the standards of age citizenship and residence
Over the years 6 members have been expelled
Informal qualifications
90% of incumbents are re elected
Fundraising ability
The senate size election and terms
Senate size
Constitution says that each must have 2 senators
Framers hoped that it would be enlighten and responsible then the house
“A body witch had time and security enough to keep its head” Woodrow Wilson
Election to the senate
Constitution provided that senators would be appointed by the states (17th amendment direct popular election)
Term of office
6 year term no term limits
More job security less subject to the pressures of public opinion
More focused on the big picture as they represent the entire state their constituency
Recovery c Byrd served over 51 years
A continuous body with ⅓ being elected every 2 years
Qualifications for office in the senate
A senator must meet higher level of qualifications for office then those the constitution sets for a member of the house a senator must be at least 30 years of age have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years and be an inhabitant of the state from witch he or she is elected
Note: that a senator need not have lived in the state for any particular period of time.