| Section 2. Number of Representatives; biennial terms; |
division of the State into districts for House of |
Representatives. The House of Representatives shall consist of |
151 members, except that, for the Legislature that convenes in |
2007 and thereafter, the House of Representatives shall consist |
of 99 members, to be elected by the qualified electors, and hold |
their office 2 years from the day next preceding the first |
Wednesday in December following the general election. The |
Legislature which convenes in 1983 2005 and every 10th year |
thereafter shall cause the State to be divided into districts for |
the choice of one Representative for each district, using the |
same method as provided in Article IV, Part Second, Section 2 for |
apportionment of Senatorial Districts, except that each |
Senatorial District must be divided into 3 Representative |
Districts. The number of Representatives shall be divided into |
the number of inhabitants of the State exclusive of foreigners |
not naturalized according to the latest Federal Decennial Census |
or a State Census previously ordered by the Legislature to |
coincide with the Federal Decennial Census, to determine a mean |
population figure for each Representative District. Each |
Representative District shall be formed of contiguous and compact |
territory and shall cross political subdivision lines the least |
number of times necessary to establish as nearly as practicable |
equally populated districts. Whenever the population of a |
municipality entitles it to more than one district, all whole |
districts shall be drawn within municipal boundaries. Any |
population remainder within the municipality shall be included in |
a district with contiguous territory and shall be kept intact. |