CRASH COURSE | GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

VOCABULARY

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS

NAME: PERIOD:

voting polls: the physical location (school, church, community hall) where voting takes place

board of elections: state governing body that conducts elections

single-member districts: congressional areas (districts) that each elect one congressperson

census: a population count of the U.S. undertaken every ten years

incumbent: an existing member of Congress

constituents: people in a state (Senate) or district (House) who the members of Congress represent

franking privilege: members of Congress can substitute their signature (called a frank) for postage and mail

items free of charge to their constituents

FUN FACT

Martin Van Buren—the 8th president—

was nicknamed “Martin Van Ruin,” as he

presided over the depression of 1837.

FUN FACT

There are currently 435 congressional districts in the U.S. House of

Representatives, each one representing approximately 700,000 people.

Find more great resources at worldstudies.org 1

1. Why is Congress considered the “most important

branch of government”?

2. What helps make Congress, as an institution, responsive to “the people”?

3. What does the Constitution specify about House and Senate elections?

5. What is the main difference in elections to

the House and Senate?

4. Who establishes scheduling (date of elections, location and

hours of polls), registration, and rules of congressional elections?

Because it is the one that is supposed to be the most responsive to the people.

Congress actually makes laws for the people.

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.

The states controll where the poll locations are and they also choose the hours.

Senators represent their entire states, but members of the House represent

individual districts. The number of districts in each state is determined by

a state's population. Each state has a minimum of one representative in

Congress.

Crash Course- Congressional Elections

American Government (GOV 310)

University of Texas at Austin

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