Each state is divided by its legislature into congressional districts equal in number to the representatives to which it is entitled, and the people of each district elect one representative. Sometimes when a state has its representation increased after a new census, the old congressional districts are left for a time undisturbed, and the added representatives are elected "at large," while the others are chosen by districts as before.
[4] Voters.
[5] The qualifications for voting in any state are fixed by the state itself, and different states require different qualifications. When the constitution was framed, but not now, some states required higher qualifications in voters for the upper house of the state legislature than in voters for the lower; so that more persons could vote for members of the lower, which is always the "most numerous" branch, than for the higher. Desiring to make the United States house of representatives as "popular" as possible, the framers of the constitution determined that all whom any state was willing to trust to vote for a member of the lower house of the state legislature, the United States could trust to vote for members of its lower house.
Clause 2.—Qualifications.
No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years,[1] and been seven years a citizen of the United States,[2] and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall he chosen.[3]
[1] For business and voting purposes a man "comes of age" at twenty-one years. Four years of probation are considered the least amount of time necessary to fit him for the responsibilities of a member of the house of representatives.
[2] A born citizen will at twenty-five years of age have been a citizen for twenty-five years. A naturalized citizen must have lived in the United States for at least twelve years, [Footnote: Eight years in the case of an honorably discharged soldier who may become a citizen on one year's residence.] five years to become a citizen and seven years afterwards, before being eligible to the house of representatives. These twelve years will have given him time to become "Americanized."
[3] Residence in the state is required in order that the state may be represented by persons interested in its welfare. No length of time is specified, however. Residence in the district is not required by the constitution, because the distribution of representatives within a state is left to the state itself. A person may be chosen to represent a district in which he does not live, and this has been done in a few instances. One does not lose his seat by moving from the district or even from the state, but propriety would impel resignation.
WHO MAY NOT BE REPRESENTATIVES.
1. Persons holding any office under the United States. [I., 6, 2.]