Determining representation
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Main Content
Determining representation
Annotation
Article One of the Constitution explains how many members states have in the Senate and House of Representatives. Each state has two senators. The process for determining the number of representative in the House is more complicated. Each state receives a number of representatives that is proportional to their population. At the time the Constitution was drafted in 1787 each state was to receive one representative for every 30,000 people in the state. For purposes of counting the population slaves were to be counted as three-fifths a person. This peculiar method for determining population was known as the Three-fifths Compromise, and was drafted to keep the southern slave holding states happy. The ratio of 1 representative per 30,000 people increased gradually of time in order to keep the House of Representatives from becoming to large. Today the ratio is one representative per 600,000 people. Article One also requires that a national census be conducted every ten years for the purpose of reapportioning representative.
Citations
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Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3
Citations
Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons [Modified by Amendment XIV]. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.
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Article 1, Section 3, Clause 1
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof [Modified by Amendment XVII], for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
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Amendment 14, Section 2
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.