Arkansas Constitution Article 8 - Apportionment - Membership in General Assembly
Article 8 of the Arkansas Constitution is titled:
"Apportionment – Membership in General Assembly"
This article outlines the structure, size, and apportionment (redistricting) of the Arkansas General Assembly, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate.
🧾 Summary of Key Provisions in Article 8:
Section 1 – Senate Apportionment
The Senate shall consist of thirty-five (35) members.
Senators are to be apportioned among the state based on population.
The Board of Apportionment is responsible for redrawing Senate district boundaries every ten years after the federal census.
Section 2 – House Apportionment
The House of Representatives must have not fewer than 50 nor more than 100 members.
The exact number is fixed by law.
Like the Senate, House members are apportioned based on population equality.
Section 3 – Board of Apportionment
The Board of Apportionment is composed of:
The Governor
The Secretary of State
The Attorney General
This Board is responsible for redistricting both the Senate and House after each federal census.
Section 4 – Rules and Duties
The Board must complete apportionment within 90 days after receiving census data.
Districts must be compact and contiguous.
🔍 Purpose and Impact:
Ensures fair representation by adjusting district boundaries to reflect population shifts.
Prevents gerrymandering by giving redistricting responsibility to a specific Board rather than the legislature itself.
Guarantees both equal population representation and geographic balance across districts.
RELATED Blog
0 comments