Representation in the State Legislatures

[Keith Broaders]

In the New Hampshire states Assembly there are 400 Assemblymen representing the state's 1.3 million people, while in California their state Assembly has 80 assemblymen representing nearly 40 million people. The ratio in New Hampshire is one representative for every 3,327. The people in California have a ratio of one representative for every 487,000 people.

Powers delegated to the legislatires of the states.

Article I, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

If the people in both states were equally represented, either New Hamphire would need  to reduce the number of assemblymen  to three or California would  need  to increase  the membership  in their assembly to 2,400. It is obvious that equal representation of the people in these two states does not exist.

The average state has am average ratio of  one representative  for everry 60,000. I believe that the ratio of representatives to their constituents should  be the same in all  of the 50 states.

The founding fathers established in Article 1,  Section 2, Clause 3, of the Constitution, mandates a ratio in the U.S. House of  Representatives be 1 representataive for every 30,000, but delegated to the states the power to decide the ratio of represtatatives to inhabitants.

If the states all had a ratio of 30,000 to 1, New Hampshire would have  approximately 45 Assemblymen and California would have 1,308 representatives in their state assembly.

When the people are not adequately and equally represented it is impossible for our system of government to function properly.

L