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Ocelot II

(131,260 posts)
14. The total number of House seats was fixed at 435 in 1911.
Wed Jun 28, 2023, 10:52 AM
Jun 2023

The number each state gets can change based on the census every ten years, but the total number doesn't change. Some states' populations have grown exponentially since 1911 but the number of representatives allocated has not grown proportionately because the total number is stuck at 435. A state's electoral college votes are equal to its number of senators (each gets two) plus its representatives, so Wyoming, with a population of about 580,000, gets 3 electoral votes (2 senators and 1 representative). California has 2 senators and 53 representatives with a population of about 39 million, and therefore gets 55 electoral votes. So Wyoming gets 1 electoral vote per 193,000 people while California gets 1 per 709,000 people. Since CA can't get any more representatives because of the 1911 statute, it's stuck with 55 EVs. If those EVs were calculated by actual population and you used Wyoming, the smallest state, as the base number, CA should really get 204 EVs. As it is now, WY's much smaller population has far greater proportional weight than CA. And this is why the GOP doesn't want to change the apportionment statute.

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There was never a "movement to make the Electoral College obsolete" brooklynite Jun 2023 #1
I understand the writer to mean, gab13by13 Jun 2023 #7
But that wasn't a movement either. brooklynite Jun 2023 #9
It doesn't in itself treestar Jun 2023 #16
some states already do that, I think. Nebraska? ProfessorPlum Jun 2023 #17
Yes, and Maine treestar Jun 2023 #19
I disagree with this part In It to Win It Jun 2023 #24
Even that's not perfect. It's not proportional. In It to Win It Jun 2023 #23
They already have 205 of the 270 EC votes needed ProfessorPlum Jun 2023 #11
Its a question of WHICH States they have. brooklynite Jun 2023 #13
gee, they got the easy ones first. what a surprise ProfessorPlum Jun 2023 #15
In which case: share the current and future progress. brooklynite Jun 2023 #25
given that neither of us are Carnac the Magnificent ProfessorPlum Jun 2023 #36
I'm not speculating; I'm analyzing brooklynite Jun 2023 #38
we'll see. I think the overturning of Roe and their hateful homophobia ProfessorPlum Jun 2023 #47
Some of us hope that will eventually change, DemocraticPatriot Jun 2023 #40
I don't think Greg Abott or the Texas legislature have any intention, though Texas would benefit GregariousGroundhog Jun 2023 #21
Just had a discussion with Jocelyn Benson (MI-SOS) and Steve Simon (MN-SOS) on this topic... brooklynite Jun 2023 #34
Probably but you must wait until a Democrat wins the presidency that way so Republicans can appeal bucolic_frolic Jun 2023 #2
No, those are state laws. This ruling says state legislatures can't ignore state laws willy-nilly mathematic Jun 2023 #3
I see. thanks, that makes sense ProfessorPlum Jun 2023 #12
No, but that wasn't going to happen anyhow. Ocelot II Jun 2023 #4
Electoral votes are recalculated every 10 years with the census, no? NYC Liberal Jun 2023 #8
The total number of House seats was fixed at 435 in 1911. Ocelot II Jun 2023 #14
That statute needs to be changed Bettie Jun 2023 #20
Expanding the House solves many problems IMO Zeitghost Jun 2023 #27
Ultimately, it would make our overall political Bettie Jun 2023 #28
To Fix Congress, Make It Bigger. Much Bigger. Celerity Jun 2023 #45
Ah, ok, I see what you were referring to. NYC Liberal Jun 2023 #30
All state legislatures had to do was gab13by13 Jun 2023 #10
I took the SCOTUS decision to mean House of Roberts Jun 2023 #5
Except inthewind21 Jun 2023 #6
Which means whatever at least five of nine SCOTUS justices SAYS it means. House of Roberts Jun 2023 #33
But the federal courts can review state court decisions Ocelot II Jun 2023 #18
This is correct, as the NC Rethugs will now (after they went 5-2 RW on the NC SC and reversed the Celerity Jun 2023 #42
That could be a consequence MichMan Jun 2023 #22
Not unconstitutional but will never happen brooklynite Jun 2023 #26
Considering the Constitution Zeitghost Jun 2023 #29
A state could hardly pass laws for example that only Democrats could be awarded EC votes MichMan Jun 2023 #31
You would be shocked Zeitghost Jun 2023 #32
So a state could quit having a public vote at all, but courts won't let them require photo ID? MichMan Jun 2023 #35
For President Zeitghost Jun 2023 #37
Actually they could. brooklynite Jun 2023 #39
The Blue States should pass laws that votes for Dems count double in Presidential elections MichMan Jun 2023 #41
That doesn't double a Blue State's Electoral College vote total though. Celerity Jun 2023 #43
If the Popular Vote Compact ever got enough, it would MichMan Jun 2023 #44
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact's unlikely to happen anytime soon as it would require Celerity Jun 2023 #46
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