What determines the total number of Senators and Representatives a state has?

The total number of Senators and Representatives a state has is determined by Congressional Representation, which reflects the population of the state as established by the United States Census.

Each state has two Senators, regardless of population, as established by the Constitution. The number of Representatives, however, is apportioned based on the population of the state in relation to other states. After each census, which occurs every ten years, the population data is used to allocate the 435 seats in the House of Representatives among the states. This means that states with larger populations receive more Representatives, while states with smaller populations may have fewer.

Voter registration, state area, and factors not directly tied to population do not influence Congressional representation. Thus, understanding the link between state population and congressional representation highlights how political power is distributed among the states within the federal system.