Midterm Elections
Congress
House of Representatives
435 members
2 year term
local districts
Senate
100 members
6 year term
state
Powers
Congress
House of Representatives
Impeach federal officals
Originates all revenue raising bills
Senate
Convict federal officals for
impeachable offenses
Advise and Consent role on
presidential powers
Reapportionment
• Up through 1910
census, size of the
House membership
expanded as the
population expanded
• 1911 Congress capped
the membership at 435,
so since 1920 census
Congress must
reapportion seats
among the states to
reflect shifts in
population growth rates
Redistricting
• Redrawing legislative districts within states to
reflect population shifts and reapportionment
results
• Occurs every 10 years, after the decennial
census
• Next census is 2010
• Districts are drawn according to state
government plans (some states use the
legislature, some use special “commissions”
Gerrymander
• Drawing
congressional
districts for partisan
advantage
Gerrymander
3
1
4
2
Packing
Gerrymander
4
1
3
2
Cracking
Redistricting
• Since the 1960s though, districts are
required to contain roughly the same
number of people
– Baker v. Carr (1964)
– Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)
– Drawing gerrymandered districts is more
difficult now than it was, but it can still be
done
Elections
• Impact of districting:
– fewer “competitive” seats
– higher re-election rates
for incumbents
– 86% in House in 2010
– 86% in Senate in 2010*
*depending on the
Alaska vote
Elections
• Other factors contributing to incumbent
advantage:
– Fundraising
• Check the Center for Responsive Politics
website for the spending differentials among
challengers and incumbents
http://www.opensecrets.org/races/index.asp
Elections
• Other factors contributing to incumbent
advantage
– Name recognition among electorate
– Easier access to media
– Easier access to electorate
• “franking” privilege
Useful Links
• Overview of the Legislative Process:
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
• Rules of the 110th Congress (House)
http://www.rules.house.gov/ruleprec/house_rules.htm
• Process in the Senate Legislative
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlawtoc.html