Odd trivia
So New Hampshire finally got around to implementing marriage equality today, by incorporating the governor's reservations into an amended bill.
Good for them.
But here's the trivia that caught my eye.
So, New Hampshire, whose population of 1.3 million people ranks it 41st in the nation, had 24 state senators, while North Carolina, with 9.2 million and a number 10 ranking, has 50 senators.
NH has a senator for every 54,000 people, NC has one for every 154,000. But it's in the house that things get really skewed. The NH House has one member for every 3400 citizens. NC has one for every 76000. That's 20 times the representation in NH than in NC.
In fact, the NH House claims to be the third largest legislative body in the world, behind only congress and the British Parliament.
How do they do it?
Good for them.
But here's the trivia that caught my eye.
HB 73, compromise legislation demanded by the governor, was passed by a vote of 14-10 in the Senate and 198-176 in the House today.
So, New Hampshire, whose population of 1.3 million people ranks it 41st in the nation, had 24 state senators, while North Carolina, with 9.2 million and a number 10 ranking, has 50 senators.
NH has a senator for every 54,000 people, NC has one for every 154,000. But it's in the house that things get really skewed. The NH House has one member for every 3400 citizens. NC has one for every 76000. That's 20 times the representation in NH than in NC.
In fact, the NH House claims to be the third largest legislative body in the world, behind only congress and the British Parliament.
How do they do it?
Labels: politics
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4 Comments:
I recall reading somewhere that NH's highly representative system has its roots in the fact that its towns were (prior to modern roads) very separated by its rugged geography.
By
Brian, at 12:12 AM
Base salary for a NC state representative (as of '97) is $13,951 per year.
Base salary for a NH state representative (as of '84) is $200 - per *term* of two years - plus mileage reimbursement for up to 45 days per session and up to $3 per diem.
Put simply, it seems they can afford more of 'em...
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/NCGAInfo/educational/funfacts/legpaysum.html
http://www.nh.gov/constitution/house.html (article 15)
Anyone have updated info I may have missed?
By
Unknown, at 12:42 AM
So, when was the last time a New Hampshire speaker did time for "ethical lapses"?
At a hundred bucks per year, seems that they'd be eager to "supplement" their income a little, no?
200 bucks per legislator comes out to about a nickel per citizen in NH. 14K comes out to about 18 cents per citizen represented, or 36 cents for 2 years. Which evens it out a little bit. Still, it's hard to look at NC's legislators and say we're getting 7 times the service as our friends in NH.
By
Barry, at 3:03 AM
It's probably a lot easier for everyone in every corner of New Hampshire to truly keep their day jobs and just show up for sessions. The drive from Corolla or Murphy to Raleigh's a bitch.
By
Unknown, at 3:44 PM
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