Facts
in Focus:
2002 US House ElectionsThis page highlights key facts about the
2002 US House elections. Scroll down to read facts about all 50 states.
USA: Results 1982-present
-
Barely three in ten adults in the United States voted for the
person who represents them in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
-
The number of U.S. House races not contested by both
major parties was 80, almost 18%.
- The share of U.S. House seats won by "landslide" margins jumped from
64% in 1996 to 77% in 2000 to 81% in 2002, the highest
percentage since 1988.
- The
average victory margin was 39% -- meaning that the
average two-party race
was won by 69%-31%. Fewer than one in ten races were won
by competitive margins of less than 10%. This marks a sharp decline
from the post-redistricting elections in 1992-1996, but is comparable towards
the end of the 1990s
and 1980s.
- The overall share of seats won by the major
parties closely matched their national vote share -- but masked
large distortions in several states, where one party won a far
greater share of seats than its share of the vote. See, for
examples, the states of Nebraska and Massachusetts, where one party won 100% of the
seats.
- Third parties received 3% of the national vote.
This would result in 17 seats in U.S. House seats in a proportional
system, but there are no third party members and only one
independents in Congress in 2003-2004.
- The number
of women House members was 58, no higher than the last 2 elections, still only 14% of
seats.
- The
number of racial and ethnic
minorities in the U.S. is stalled at 60, far less than their share
of the general population.
Remaining states:
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