A movement is growing to promote a proposal to increase membership in the US House of Representatives after the next census in 2030, going into effect in 2032.
The House of Representatives has been set at 435 members since 1913, and capped officially at that number since 1929, with the exception, temporarily, of additional seats in 1959 with the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as the 49th and 50th states.
From the original 65 members in 1790, with each seat representing roughly 35,000 constituents, presently the 435 members represent roughly 770,000 constituents as of the 2020 census figures.
By 2040, if no additional seats are created, each district will represent approximately 875,000 constituents.
The ratio of population from largest states to smallest states was 12-1 in 1790; 70-1 in 2020; and would be 77-1 in 2040 (between California and Vermont).
The number of seats recommended to be added would be 150, which means almost all states that have lost seats to other states by reapportionment since 1931 would no longer be losing seats.
The average House district would decline to about 565,000, but one problems is how the chamber would seat another 150 members, plus the issue of office space and office buildings.
Some have said that the House of Representatives is “chaotic” as it is with 435 members, let alone 585.
And the Electoral College would change from 538 (including Washington DC and the 24th Amendment) to 688, requiring 345 electoral votes, rather than 270 electoral votes, to win the Presidency!
We shall see if any action on this proposal will move forward!