The Two Houses of Congress: the House of Representatives

The House of Representatives, or the House, as it is sometimes called, has 435 members. It is the larger of the two houses of Congress. Members of the House are referred to as representatives. According to the Constitution, the number of representatives each state may elect to the House is based on the size of the state’s population. Each state, regardless of population, is entitled to at least one representative.

Originally each state elected one representative for every 30,000 persons living in the state. In the first Congress, which met in 1789, there were 59 representatives in the House. Then, as new states joined the union and the nation’s population increased, the House steadily grew in size. To prevent the membership from growing too large, Congress finally limited the size of the House of Representatives. In 1929 Congress set the limit at 435 members. Today each member of the House represents about 500,000 people.

Every ten years, after the census is taken, Congress determines how the 435 seats in the House of Representatives are to be distributed. Congress itself divides these seats among the states according to population.

If a state’s population decreases from one census to the next, the number of its representatives may be reduced. On the other hand, states whose populations grow may be entitled to more representatives. But the total size of the House of Representatives can never be more than 435 members.

Congressional Districts. Each of the representatives is elected from a congressional district. Each state legislature is responsible for dividing the state into as many congressional districts as it has members in the House. The boundaries must be drawn so that each district in a state is nearly equal in population. After every census, the state legislature must re-divide the state’s congressional districts if the number of people has changed.

Electing Representatives. Elections for members of the House of Representatives are held in November of each even-numbered year. All representatives are elected for two-year terms. They may be re-elected, and there is no limit on the number of terms they may serve. Because representatives often are re-elected, there are always many experienced lawmakers in the House. If a representative dies or resigns before the end of a term, the governor of her or his home state must call a special election to fill the vacancy.

These are the qualifications for members of the House of Representatives:

1. A representative must be at least 25 years old.

2. A representative must have been a United States citizen for at least seven years.

3. A representative must be a legal resident of the state he or she represents.

Usually a representative lives in the district from which he or she is elected. However, the Constitution does not make this a requirement for office.