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HOR/Con. Elections
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Did the Constitution set the exact size of the HOR? | No, it only says it's size must be distributied proportionaly according to states' population. |
How many representatives are guaranteed to each state by the Constitution? | At least one. |
How many states have one seat currently in the HOR? | Seven |
Reapportionment? | Direction by the Constitution to reapportion House seats after each Census. (10 years) |
Reapportionment Act? (1929) | Set the maximum number of representatives in the House to 435. |
About how many citizens does each seat in the House represent? | 700,000 |
Why is reapportionment important? | It changes the number of seats a state has and the number of votes in the Electoral College. |
Does the Constitution define congressional districts? | No. |
In what year did Congress stipulate that all seats in the HOR would be filled from single-menber districts? | 1842 |
What law gave each state the power to draw it's own boundary lines for congressional districts? | The 1842 Law |
Gerrymandering? | Drawing congressional district lines to benefit one's own party |
What is one effect of gerrymandering? | It protects imcumbents and discourages challengers |
Another effect of gerrymandering? | Strengthens the majority party and weakens the opposition |
Yet another effect of gerrymandering? | Can increase or decrease minority representation. |
What type of area dominated many state legislatures? | Rural |
What case put forth "one person, one vote"? | Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) |
What did Wesberry v. Sanders cause? | Wide redistricting that favored cities and suburbs. |
What is one restiction the Supreme Court has placed on redistricting? | Equally populated |
What is one restiction the Supreme Court has placed on redistricting? | Districts must be compact. |
What is one restiction the Supreme Court has placed on redistricting? | Lines must be contiguous or connected. |
What is one restiction the Supreme Court has placed on redistricting? | Cannot dilute minority voting power. |
What is one restiction the Supreme Court has placed on redistricting? | Cannot be drawn solely on race. can be a factor. |
What has the Supreme Court not eliminated? Why? | Gerrymandering. Partisan reasons. |
What has the most important factor in congressional elections over the past 50 years? | Incumbancy |
What percent of House incumbents win? | 90 percent |
What percent of Senate incumbents win? | 75 percent |
What is the main reason incumbants usually win? | Money |
What is the ratio incumbents outspend challengers by? | More than 2:1 |
2nd reason incumbents win? | Visibility |
Visibility? | Better known to the voters. |
3rd reason incumbents win? | Constituent service |
What do members of Congress do to gain support? | Casework for their district (money and jobs) |
What is "pork"? | legislation the allows reps to bring money and jobs to their districts. |
4th reason incumbents win? | the franking privilege |
The franking privilege? | The right of members of Congress to mail newsletters to their constituents at the gov's expense. |
What has Congress recently added to the franking privilege? | Emails and recorded phone calls |
5th reason incumbents win? | Gerrymandering |
What do members of the House often represent? | heavily gerrymandered districts that support incumbents |
What do gerrymandered districts discourage? | Strong challengers from trying to compete with incumbents |
What is one consequence of the Incumbent Advantage? | Experienced leaders in Congress |
What is one consequence of the Incumbent Advantage? | discourages radical change, but encourages close relationships with intrest groups |
What is one consequence of the Incumbent Advantage? | They benefit from existing campaign finance laws, therefore they have no motivation to reform them. |
What do incumbents have opprotunites to participate in? | Highly visible activites covered by local radio stations and newspapers. |