United States congressional apportionment
From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
The allocation among states of the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives changes each decade following the decennial
Reapportionment occurs every year ending in "1", the year after the decennial census. After seats have been reapportioned, each state determines the boundaries of
Contents |
[edit] House size
| Ratio of representation in the House, 1789-1923 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Years | Source | Constituents per Representative |
| 1789–1793 | U.S. Constitution | 30,000 |
| 1793–1803 | 30,000 | |
| 1803–1813 | 33,000 | |
| 1813–1823 | 35,000 | |
| 1823–1833 | 40,000 | |
| 1833–1843 | 47,700 | |
| 1843–1853 | 70,680 | |
| 1853–1863 | 93,425 | |
| 1863–1873 | 127,381 | |
| 1873–1883 | 131,425 | |
| 1883–1893 | 151,912 | |
| 1893–1903 | 173,901 | |
| 1903–1913 | 194,182 | |
| 1913–1923 | 212,407 | |
The United States Constitution requires that
- The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one Representative (Article I, Section 2, Paragraph 3)
Prior to the
In 1911,
Proposals have been made to add
[edit] Apportionment methods
Apart from the fact that the number of delegates is at least 1 for each state, as required by the Constitution, a state's number of representatives is in principle proportional to population (thus equalizing the size of congressional districts nationwide). No method of calculating this desired result, however, has been found perfectly satisfactory in practice. Five distinct methods have been used since the adoption of the Constitution, all of them susceptible to
[edit] The Equal Proportions Method
The Equal Proportions method is the apportionment methodology currently used.
In this method, as a first step, each state is automatically guaranteed at least one seat in Congress. That means there are a total of 385 seats left to hand out.
The remaining seats are handed out one at a time, to the state that "deserves" another seat the most. Thus, the 51st seat always goes to the largest state (currently California).
The apportionment method uses a mathematical formula to express the priority ordering of states for an additional seat. For instance, in the example above, California has already receieved a second seat and thus "deserves" a third one less.
The formula used by the method of equal proportions is
where P is the population of the state, and n is the number of seats it currently has. An equivalent, recursive definition is
where n is still the number of seats the state has, and for n = 1, A is explicitly defined as
A sequential definition may likewise be given where the n = 1 case is defined as above, but the formula is
When all states have 1 seat, the largest value of A corresponds to the largest state. But now that California has 2 seats, its priority value decreases, and it has to take a step back in line. The 52nd seat goes to Texas, the 2nd largest state, but the 53rd goes back to California, and so on until all the seats have been handed out. Each time a state gets a seat, its priority drops and another state comes to the top of the list.
The Census 2000 Ranking of Priority Values[1] shows the order in which seats 51-435 were apportioned after the 2000 Census, with additional listings for the next five priorities. North Carolina was allocated the final (435th) seat. Utah (priority list 436) missed a fourth seat by only 857 residents. Legal action by Utah to amend the results, citing irregularities in North Carolina and undercounting of Utah's overseas population, was unsuccessful. However, it may still get its fourth seat if the
[edit] State Congressional Delegation Size
[edit] 1789-1910
| 1789 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -- | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 11 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 27 | |
| -- | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| -- | 2 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | |
| -- | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| -- | -- | -- | 7[2] | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| 8 | 14 | 17 | 13[2] | 13 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | |
| -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | |
| 1789 | ||||||||||||||
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | |
| 6 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 34 | 40 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 37 | 43 | |
| 5 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| -- | -- | 1 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 8 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| 8 | 13 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 36 | |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| -- | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| -- | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 10 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9[3] | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| -- | -- | -- | - | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3[3] | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1789 | ||||||||||||||
| Total: | 65 | 106 | 142 | 186 | 213 | 242 | 232 | 237 | 243 | 293 | 332 | 357 | 391 | 435 |
[edit] 1920-present
| 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 11 | 20 | 23 | 30 | 38 | 43 | 45 | 52 | 53 | |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 25 | |
| 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | |
| -- | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | |
| 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | |
| 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | |
| 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |
| 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | |
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | |
| 13 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | |
| 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | |
| 16 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | |
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| 43 | 45 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 39 | 34 | 31 | 29 | |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 22 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 18 | |
| 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
| 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| 36 | 34 | 33 | 30 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 19 | |
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
| 18 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 32 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
| 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total: | 435 | 435 | 435 | 437 | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 |
[edit] Notes
- Delegate counts in italics represent temporary counts assigned by Congress until the next decennial census or by the U.S. Constitution in 1789 until the first U.S. Census.
- Elections held in the year of a census use the apportionment determined by the previous census.
- ^ census.gov
- ^ a b The state of Maine was formed out of portions of Massachusetts in 1820.
- ^ a b The state of West Virginia was formed out of portions of Virginia in 1863.
[edit] See also
- United States Congress
- United States House of Representatives
- Redistricting
- Gerrymandering
[edit] External links
- Congressional Apportionment by the U.S. Census Bureau
- Cut-the-knot.org:
- Thirty-thousand.org: