The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected for four-year terms. To qualify as a member of the House candidates must be at least 21 years old, a resident of Mississippi for at least four years, and a resident in the district for at least two years. Elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Membership, qualifications, and apportionment

Article 4, Section 36 of the

Mississippi Constitution The Constitution of Mississippi is the primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Mississippi delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the state government. Mississippi's original constitution was adopted at a constituti ...

specifies that the state legislature must meet for 125 days every four years and 90 days in other years. The Mississippi House of Representatives has the authority to determine rules of its own proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and expel a member with a two-thirds vote of its membership.Constitutional Provisions The Legislature And Legislation Rules of Procedure
Mississippi Legislature (accessed May 31, 2013) Bills must undergo three readings in each house, unless two-thirds of the house dispenses with the rules. They cannot be amended to a new purpose. Amendments to bills must be approved by both houses. The governor has the power to veto legislation, but legislators can override the veto with a two-thirds decision. From 1890 to 2020, State representatives were authorized under the Mississippi Constitution to elect the

Governor of Mississippi A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

if no candidate had received 62 of the 122 electoral votes (one per district) and more than 50% of the popular vote. This occurred only once, in 1999, when

Ronnie Musgrove David Ronald Musgrove (born July 29, 1956) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and as the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January ...

had the most votes statewide, but was one electoral vote and 2936 votes (0.38%) shy of a majority: Musgrove was elected on the first ballot.

List of members

Salary and benefits

State representatives earn $23,500 per year.

List of speakers

The House has elected a speaker 61 times since 1817:

Latest election results and current party standings

The following composition reflects the balance of power after the 2019 elections, which was the third election since Reconstruction to give a majority of seats in the State House to the Republicans. State representatives are elected every four years by the qualified electors of the district for which they are running. Candidates are required to be at least 21 years of age and a resident of the state and district for which they are campaigning.Article 4, Section 41
, Oklahoma Constitution (accessed May 31, 2013)

Past composition of the House of Representatives

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mississippi House Of Representatives Hou Hou State lower houses in the United States