The U.S. House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
How are representatives elected?
A Representative is elected by only those eligible voters residing in the congressional district that the candidate will represent. Election winners are decided by the plurality rule. That is, the person who receives the highest number of votes wins. This may not necessarily be a majority of the votes.
Are members elected or appointed House and Senate?
Members of Congress in both houses are elected by direct popular vote. Senators are elected via a statewide vote and representatives by voters in each congressional district. ... Each of the 435 members of the House of Representatives is elected to serve a two-year term representing the people of their district.
How often are House of Representatives elected?
Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are considered for reelection every even year. Senators however, serve six-year terms and elections to the Senate are staggered over even years so that only about 1/3 of the Senate is up for reelection during any election.
Why are House of Representatives elected every 2 years?
Connecticut Delegate Roger Sherman spoke of the necessity of regular elections during the Convention: “Representatives ought to return home and mix with the people. ... The Convention settled on two-year terms for Members of the House as a true compromise between the one- and three-year factions.
How many terms can a Senator serve?
The Senate has a membership of 40 Senators elected for 4-year terms, 20 to begin every 2 years. During his or her lifetime a person may serve no more than 12 years in the Senate, Assembly, or both, in any combination of terms.
Who are senators elected by?
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.
Who elects House of Representatives?
The U.S. House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
Which state has the most seats in the House of Representatives?
As of the 2010 Census, the largest delegation is that of California, with 53 representatives. Seven states have only one representative: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.
How long is a term in the House of Representatives?
Representatives serve 2-year terms.
How were the House of Representatives originally elected?
The House is the only branch of government that has been directly elected by American voters since its formation in 1789. ... Learn about the origins and development of the House, from the framers' vision for the newly created Congress to major developments in the institutional powers and duties of the House.
Why do senators have 6 year terms?
To guarantee senators' independence from short-term political pressures, the framers designed a six-year Senate term, three times as long as that of popularly elected members of the House of Representatives. Madison reasoned that longer terms would provide stability.
Why do some states have more representatives?
The number of U.S. Representatives for each state depends on the population. Some states have more representatives because they have more people . If the state has a large population, there are more representatives. ... If the state has a small population, there are fewer representatives.
What is the minimum age for a senator?
The framers of the Constitution set the minimum age for Senate service at 30 years.
Have there ever been term limits for Congress?
In May 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 in U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, 514 U.S. 779 (1995), that states cannot impose term limits upon their federal Representatives or Senators. In the 1994 elections, part of the Republican platform included legislation for term limits in Congress.
How are 2 senators elected?
Each state is equally represented by two senators who serve staggered terms of six years. ... From 1789 to 1913, senators were appointed by legislatures of the states they represented. They are now elected by popular vote following the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913.
