Article One

1. Legislative Branch Article One

2. The House of Representatives Today in the House, there are 435 members. • Not fixed by Constitution • Set by Congress, provided that the seats in the House are apportioned among the States, based on population. Terms of House members are every 2 years. The Constitution orders Congress to reapportion its seats every 10 years • The first 2 sessions of Congress, which was before the 1790 census, was ordered by the Constitution to be 65 members, after the 1790 census, the House increased to 106 members. • By the 1920 census, the House had grown so large that it couldn’t reapportion without States losing some seats so, they did NOTHING. The Reapportionment Act of 1929 • Puts the permanent size of the House at 435 members • Each seat roughly represents 650,000 people. • Following the Census, the Census Bureau will determine the number of seats that each State should have. • When ready, it is sent by the President to Congress • Congress has 60 days to reject it, or else it automatically becomes effective.

3. Congressional Elections House elections are held on the same date in every State of the Union. • By law, Congress requires that those elections are held on the Tuesday, following the 1st Monday in November • Since 1872 • Representatives are to be chosen by written or printed ballots • Voting machines were approved in 1899 Off-Year Elections • Usually the opposition party wins seats in Congress during these elections, as the people are blaming events occurring in the Government or the Country on the reigning Presidential Party All 435 congressmen are selected from 435 districts within the United States • Constitution doesn’t mention districts but had a choice to either elect by a single member district basis or by the general election method. • Voters in each district elect one of the State’s representatives from among a field of candidates running for a seat in the House from that district • Most use this Single member district system • Using the At-large method, a few states representatives are elected from the State as a whole rather than from a district • IN REALITY, ALL STATES ELECT REPRESENTATIVES BY THE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT SYSTEM, BUT SINCE SEVERAL STATES ONLY HAVE ONE MEMBER, THEY ARE SAID TO BE ELECTED BY THE “AT-LARGE” METHOD

4. GERRYMANDERING IS BAD Gerrymandering It occurs today at every level of government within our society. The two forms of Gerrymandering • To concentrate the opposition’s voters in one or a few districts • Spread the opposition out so their ability to win is limited. Districts were drawn along party lines or rural vs. urban Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) Supreme Court said that Article 1, Section 2 says that representation shall be done “by the People of the several States according to their respective Numbers” This allowed the urban areas to speak with a much LOUDER voice in Congress than they had previously. Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1960) Court struck these districts down because it violates the 15thAmendment Both when it goes against minorities and in their favor • While race cannot be a controlling factor for drawing up districts it can be “part” of a mix of factors. (Hunt v. Cromartie 2001)

5. How to become a Representative (in 3 easy steps) Formal Qualifications • Must be 25 years old • Must be a citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 years • must inhabit the State you are going to represent in Congress If someone’s election is challenged, it is the House of Representatives that will decide the matter. The House doesn’t have to seat a member by majority vote The House, with a two thirds vote, may expel a member for improper conduct • only expelled 5 Congressmen were expelled since the House began Informal Qualifications – vary from State to State, and district to district • be a member of the “correct” party • have a familiar name • correct ethnic/sexual background • be in politics long enough