United States congressional apportionment
United States congressional apportionment is the redistribution of the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives among the 50 states in consequence of the constitutionally mandated decennial census. Each state is apportioned a number of seats which approximately corresponds to its share of the aggregate population of the 50 states (populations of Washington, D.C. and federal territories are not included in this figure). However, every state is constitutionally guaranteed at least one seat. The decennial apportionment also determines the size of each state’s representation in the United States Electoral College—any state’s number of electors equals the size of its total congressional delegation (i.e., House seat(s) plus Senate seats). Federal law requires the Clerk of the House to notify each state government of its entitled number of seats no later than January 25 of the year immediately following the census.
