"One Person, One Vote" Does Not Work.

The U.S. Constitution is explicit in its commitment to proportional representation. Article I, Section 2 mandates that “Representatives... shall be apportioned among the several States... according to their respective numbers.” This clause, combined with the decennial census, was intended to ensure that as the nation grew, so would the House. Indeed, from 1789 until 1913, the House expanded nearly every decade to accommodate population increases. The Founders understood that a growing population required more representatives to keep government close to the people and avoid concentrations of power.

But that commitment ended in 1929, when Congress passed the Permanent Apportionment Act, capping the House at 435 members. Since then, the number of representatives has remained static, even as the U.S. population has soared past 330 million. The result is that each House member today represents, on average, more than 760,000. This disparity dilutes the power of individual voters and contradicts the “one person, one vote” standard.

Since becoming a state in 1912, Arizona’s population has skyrocketed from around 200,000 people to over 7 million today. During that time, the Arizona House of Representatives has only added 25 members, growing from 35 to just 60. (For more information click here). Since the state constitution was amended to cap the number of representatives, the House hasn’t kept up with the state’s explosive growth. Today, each representative is responsible for far more people than in the past, making it harder for communities to hear their voices. This gap between population and representation isn’t just unfair—it makes it harder for everyday Arizonans to connect with the lawmakers who are supposed to speak for them. In a growing state like Arizona, representation needs to grow, too.

Equal representation can mean two different things, and that’s precisely why the U.S. has a bicameral, or two-chamber, legislature. The Senate gives each state the same number of senators—two—no matter how big or small the population. On the other hand, the House of Representatives was designed to represent the people directly, with seats divided based on population so that equity can flow in representation. This structure balances things: the Senate speaks for the states and the House for the people. But when the House stops growing with the population and starts acting more like the Senate, it weakens the power of every person’s vote, especially in larger states (or counties). That shift goes against the House's original purpose and makes our democracy inequitable.

The shift undermines the very purpose of the House—to reflect the people's will proportionally—and moves us away from the democratic ideals the Founders intended. If the House no longer adjusts with population growth, the balance between the chambers is broken, and the principle of fair representation is lost. To preserve the integrity of our democracy, we must return the House to its original role: representing the people in proportion to their numbers, not arbitrarily by geography or political convenience.

Letting the state legislature or a partisan committee draw Arizona’s legislative districts is a serious risk to fair and equal representation. When politicians control how districts are shaped, there is a strong temptation to draw lines that benefit their own party instead of representing the people. This practice—gerrymandering—can divide communities, limit voter choice, and make elections feel unfair or even rigged. In a diverse and fast-growing state like Arizona, we need district maps that reflect real populations and communities, not political strategies. When maps are drawn fairly and transparently, every vote counts equally, and everyone has a voice. But when political interests shape districts, it damages trust in the system and makes it harder for young people—like high school seniors getting ready to vote—to believe their voice truly matters

To build a fairer and more equitable democracy, Arizona must reestablish its House of Representatives on the original principle of apportionment by population. When representation reflects our communities true size and growth, especially in fast-growing urban areas, every person’s voice carries equal weight in shaping laws and policies. A static and capped legislature cannot meet the needs of a dynamic and diverse population. By updating the structure of the House to grow with the people it serves, Arizona can restore balance, strengthen public trust, and ensure that all communities—rural and urban alike—have a fair and equitable seat at the table.