Midterm Elections
Congress
House of Representatives Senate
435 members2 year term
local districts
100 members6 year term
state
Powers
Congress
House of Representatives Senate
Impeach federal officalsOriginates all revenue raising bills
Convict federal officals forimpeachable offensesAdvise and Consent role on presidential powers
Reapportionment
• Up through 1910 census, size of the House membership expanded as the population expanded
• 1911 Congress capped the membership at 435, so since 1920 census Congress must reapportion seats among the states to reflect shifts in population growth rates
Redistricting
• Redrawing legislative districts within states to reflect population shifts and reapportionment results
• Occurs every 10 years, after the decennial census
• Next census is 2010• Districts are drawn according to state
government plans (some states use the legislature, some use special “commissions”
Gerrymander
• Drawing congressional districts for partisan advantage
Gerrymander
Packing
1
2
3
4
Gerrymander
Cracking
1
23
4
Redistricting
• Since the 1960s though, districts are required to contain roughly the same number of people– Baker v. Carr (1964)– Wesberry v. Sanders (1964)– Drawing gerrymandered districts is more
difficult now than it was, but it can still be done
Elections
• Impact of districting:– fewer “competitive” seats
– higher re-election rates for incumbents
– 86% in House in 2010– 86% in Senate in 2010*
*depending on the Alaska vote
Elections
• Other factors contributing to incumbent advantage:– Fundraising
• Check the Center for Responsive Politics website for the spending differentials among challengers and incumbents
http://www.opensecrets.org/races/index.asp
Elections
• Other factors contributing to incumbent advantage– Name recognition among electorate– Easier access to media– Easier access to electorate
• “franking” privilege
Useful Links
• Overview of the Legislative Process:http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
• Rules of the 110th Congress (House)http://www.rules.house.gov/ruleprec/house_rules.htm
• Process in the Senate Legislativehttp://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlawtoc.html