Where is malapportionment particularly acute?

Where is malapportionment particularly acute?

• A. The Dutch Senate
• B. The U.S. Senate
• C. The Seniority System
• D. The U.S. House of Representatives

Answer: (B)

Malapportionment shows up when votes don’t have equal weight because seats aren’t tied to population. In the United States, the Senate gives every state two seats regardless of how many people live there. That means voters in small states have more influence per person than voters in large states, making this body especially prone to malapportionment. In contrast, the House is based on districts with roughly equal populations, so one person, one vote is the guiding idea there and malapportionment is not as acute. The other options don’t describe a mechanism of representation tied to population in the same way, so they don’t illustrate malapportionment as clearly.

Malapportionment shows up when votes don’t have equal weight because seats aren’t tied to population. In the United States, the Senate gives every state two seats regardless of how many people live there. That means voters in small states have more influence per person than voters in large states, making this body especially prone to malapportionment. In contrast, the House is based on districts with roughly equal populations, so one person, one vote is the guiding idea there and malapportionment is not as acute. The other options don’t describe a mechanism of representation tied to population in the same way, so they don’t illustrate malapportionment as clearly.