RURAL REPRESENTATION

The fascinating ratios of representation in state capitals are highlighted by a University of Virginia study comparing the rural and small town population of each state with its share of the membership in each branch of the legislature. Rural areas are here defined as counties with fewer than 100,000 residents. The roll call:

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming %of Rural Pop.

58.9% 100.0 28.7 86.4 7.4 36.3 8.9 31.1 27.4 60.7 20.9 100.0 23.8 50.7 72.7 62.7 71.5 49.4 57.1 24.6 2.6 21.7 56.1 86.0 49.0 100.0 64.7 55.5 70.6 4.5 72.4 11.9 69.3 100.0 32.4 66.3 48.0 14.8 20.7 67.1 100.0 54.4 42.2 32.5 100.0 67.0 35.1 80.6 46.7 100.0 %of Lower House 83.0% 100.0 33.8 92.0 10.3 53.8 24.5 57.1 72.6 89.7 35.3 100.0 28.5 61.7 90.8 88.0 83.0 65.4 60.9 51.3 2.9 30.4 70.2 96.0 73.2 100.0 %of Upper House 85.7% 100.0 85.7 91.4 42.5 57.2 13.9 58.8 71.9 88.8 60.0 100.0 41.1 60.1 90.0 90.0 81.6 62.0 69.7 65.5 2.5 39.7 70.5 94.4 55.9 100.0 76.8* 80.9 72.3 8.3 86.4 25.3 80.8 100.0 51.8 88.4 53.3 21.0 23.0 70.2 100.0 76.1 59.0 48.4 100.0 75.5 40.9 84.0 53.0 100.0 94.1 69.7 23.8 96.9 17.4 82.0 100.0 34.8 93.4 56.6 23.1 40.9 91.3 100.0 74.5 64.4 60.0 100.0 76.5 43.2 89.1 51.5 100.0

* Nebraska is the only state in the U.S. with a unicameral legislature.

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