How is the membership of the House of Representatives determined?

The membership of the House of Representatives is determined by the population size of each state. This is established by the principle of proportional representation, which means that states with larger populations have more representatives than those with smaller populations. The total number of representatives in the House is capped at 435, and after each decennial census, states may gain or lose seats based on changes in their population relative to other states. This ensures that representation in the House reflects the demographic distribution of the population across the country, thereby allowing for a more equitable representation of the citizens’ interests at the federal level. The mechanism of representation emphasizes the importance of population in determining the legislative power of each state.