Background

As we introduced in Uncapping the House - Pt. 1 - The Wyoming Rule, many advocates for redistricting reform have found different methods to set the size of the House. Another popular method is the Cube Root Rule, a straightforward concept where the size of the House of Representatives should be equal to the cube root of the total resident population.

The Cube Root Rule

In 2020, the Census Bureau found the total resident population of the United States stood at 331,449,281. The cube root of the population (∛331,449,281) would result in ~692 seats, an increase of +257 over the current size.

The Cube Root Rule vs. The Wyoming Rule

The Cube Root method would yield an additional +119 seats over the Wyoming Rule. Comparing this method many may assume the additional 119 seats would lead to drastically different distribution of seats, yet a majority of the new seats would be distributed in the largest 10 states. The California, Florida, and Texas delegations would all grow by double digits. One other difference to note between the Wyoming Rule and Cube Root Rule, is that in 2020 the Cube Root rule would have apportioned North Dakota & Alaska an additional seat. Thus leaving Wyoming and Vermont as the last two At-Large States.

Electoral College Impact

A post-2020 apportionment using the Cube Root Rule would have made a minor impact on the Electoral College, slightly larger than the negligible impact examined from of the Wyoming Rule yet.

Under the current apportionment, President Trump carried 31 states and with them 312 Electoral College Votes (57.993% of the Electoral College). Kamala Harris won 19 states and the District of Columbia for 226 ECVs (42.007%).

President Trump would have won 471 Electoral College Votes (59.25%) under a Cube Root Rule apportionment to Kamala Harris' 324 (40.75%).