What is the rationale behind the process of reapportionment?

The rationale behind the process of reapportionment is fundamentally rooted in the principle of ensuring equal representation in congressional districts. Reapportionment occurs every ten years, following the decennial census, and involves redistributing the 435 seats in the House of Representatives among the states based on population changes. This process is critical to maintaining the concept of “one person, one vote,” as it ensures that districts are adjusted to reflect shifts in population, so that each representative serves roughly the same number of constituents.

As populations grow or decline in various states, reapportionment allows for the fair allocation of congressional seats, ensuring that representation in Congress corresponds to current population demographics. This helps to prevent overrepresentation or underrepresentation of certain areas and promotes fairness in the electoral process.

While other options mention factors like decreasing the number of congressional seats, enhancing the power of political parties, or eliminating gerrymandering, these do not capture the primary objective of reapportionment. The core goal is to adjust representation based on population to uphold democratic principles.