Lawsuit: Let's Double the Number of Congressmen

The House of Representatives is supposed to ensure equal representation for all Americans, but critics see a flawed system because of the expanding population. In Nevada’s 3rd District, for example, one representative speaks for nearly a million people, about twice as many as the congressman for all of Wyoming. A lawsuit filed today seeks to even up the House by expanding it to seat at least 932—and perhaps as many as 1,761—members, reports the New York Times.

“As an American looking at it objectively, how can we continue with a system where certain voters’ voting power is substantially smaller than others’?” asks the organizer of the challenge. Critics, however, question whether such a large legislative body would be manageable. "You may create a more equitable system that’s less governable, and I’m not sure the country comes out ahead,” said a former census director.

(More House of Representatives stories.)