The Congress
Lesson 1
Congress:
Senate and House of Representatives
House of Representatives

Size: 435 members
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Term Length: 2 years
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No term limits
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Elections
 All up for re-election every 2 years
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Represents people in one district
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Constitutional Qualifications
 At least 25 years old
 Citizen for 7 years
 Live in state he / she represents
Missouri Representatives
Wm. Lacy Clay (D)
1st District
Todd Akin (R)
2nd District
Russ Carnahan (D) 3rd District
Sam Graves
(R) 6th District
Missouri Representatives
Emmanuel
Cleaver (D)
5th District
Vicky Hartzler (R)
4th District
Billy Long (R)
7th District
Kenny Hulshof
(R) 9th District
Jo Ann
Emerson (R)
District 8
Senate

Size: 100 members
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Term: Length: 6 Years
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No term limits

Elections
 1/3 of Senators up for re-election
every 2 years
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Represents people in whole state
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Constitutional Qualifications
 At least 30 years old
 Citizen for 9 years
 Live in the state he/she represents
Missouri Senators
Sen. Roy Blunt (R)
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D)
Caucasian 457
Caucasian 385
Asian 25
Asian 10
Other Christian 3
Other Christian 3
Other 6
Other 3
How are seats in the House and
Senate divided among the states?
Apportionment of Seats

Apportionment is the distribution of seats in the House
and Senate

The Senate has a total of 100
seats, 2 per state

The House has 435 seats

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These seats are divided among
the states according to each
state’s population
Congress sets total number of seats
The Census

The population is counted every 10 years (1990,2000,
2010, for example)

Census is important because


Results are used to calculate how House seats should be
redistributed (REAPPORTIONED)
Each state is guaranteed one representative


Congress caps number of House members at 435
Average population a House member represents


Currently 646,952
2012: 710, 767
Redistricting

Whether a state looses or gains seats in the House, each
state must redistrict itself to accommodate the change
What does that mean?
 Redrawing their House district lines
States are in charge of redistricting
Gerrymandering
What is it?
 Redrawing the boundaries of congressional districts to
influence the outcome of elections.
How did we get the name
Gerrymandering?

First printed in March 1812,
this political cartoon was
drawn in reaction to the state
senate electoral districts drawn
by the Massachusetts
legislature to favor the
Democratic-Republican party
candidates of Governor
Elbridge Gerry over the
Federalists.
Two forms of Gerrymandering

Packing

Concentrating the opposition’s voters in one or a few districts
leaving the other districts safe for the dominant party

Fragmenting (Cracking)
 Spreading the opposition as thinly as possible among several
districts limiting the ability for the opposition to win
anywhere in region
Redistricting in Missouri
From 9 to 8 Seats
What do states have to keep in mind
when redistricting?
The US Supreme Court has ruled that districts must meet
these three requirements

Population Equity: Districts must have about the same
number of people in them

Contiguity: Districts must be of one solid shape; no land
islands

Compactness: Districts must be compact shapes; no
jagged lines or skinny extensions
Review

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
Apportionment
Reapportionment
Census
Gerrymandering
Fragmenting (cracking)
Packing
House and Senate

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Number of members
Total Number
Term length
Term limit
Elections held when / who is up for election
How is apportionment determined?
Constitutional qualifications


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Age
Citizenship
Residency