Kansas Constitution Article Ten - Apportionment of the Legislature
Kansas Constitution – Article 10: Apportionment of the Legislature – Summary
Purpose:
Article 10 of the Kansas Constitution outlines the rules and procedures for apportioning (dividing) the state's population into legislative districts for the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas Senate.
Key Provisions:
Basis of Apportionment:
Legislative districts must be based on population to ensure equal representation, following the principle of “one person, one vote.”
Reapportionment Period:
The legislature is required to reapportion the districts every 10 years, using data from the U.S. Census to reflect population changes.
District Requirements:
Districts must be contiguous (all parts connected).
The boundaries should be drawn to create fair and equitable representation.
The number of districts and size may change to maintain proportional representation.
Judicial Review:
If a reapportionment plan is challenged, the Kansas Supreme Court has original jurisdiction to review it for compliance with the Constitution.
Enforcement:
If the legislature fails to reapportion as required, the Kansas Supreme Court can intervene to ensure compliance.
Why It Matters:
This article ensures fair political representation across Kansas by requiring regular updates to district boundaries, preventing imbalances where growing populations might otherwise lose influence.
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