Final answer:
Congressional apportionment is the process of reallocating the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after each census to match population shifts. it ensures fair representation for each state and leads to redistricting, with gerrymandering being a related concern.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that occurs after every census to reallocate the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, reflecting shifts in the population of the states and, thus, how many seats each state is allotted, is known as congressional apportionment. using the equal proportions method, this mathematical formula allocates seats based on the most recent population data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. Since the cap of 435 seats was established in 1929, the primary goal of this process is to ensure each state is represented fairly according to its population size, with each state guaranteed at least one House seat.
As a result of population changes observed in the census, states may gain or lose representation in the House. This also leads to redistricting, the redrawing of congressional district boundaries within each state to ensure equal representation. The reapportionment following the 2020 Census, for instance, shifted seats between states to better align with their current population sizes. It is important to note that while reapportionment takes place after each decennial census, redistricting, which includes the practice of gerrymandering, can also occur at different times for various reasons.