About the office
The United States House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. Congress. It has 435 voting members, each representing a single congressional district apportioned among the 50 states by population, with the 2026 House elections putting every one of those 435 seats up for a vote. Five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia also send non-voting delegates. The office is established by Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.
Representatives serve two-year terms, with all 435 seats up for election every two years; the next general election — the 2026 House elections — is on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. There is no constitutional limit on the number of terms a representative may serve. The total of 435 seats was fixed by statute in 1929; districts are redrawn after each decennial census to reflect population shifts.
The Constitution requires representatives to be at least 25 years old, U.S. citizens for at least seven years, and residents of the state they represent. Vacancies are filled by special elections.
The House shares legislative authority with the Senate — both chambers must pass identical text before a bill can be sent to the President. The House also has unique constitutional roles: revenue bills must originate in the House, and the House alone has the power to impeach federal officers (with the Senate then conducting any trial).