How often is the census conducted to determine House representation?

• A. Every ten years
• B. Every year
• C. Every twenty years
• D. Only during wartime

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the census is conducted every ten years to determine how many representatives each state gets in the House. This decennial count provides the population data that Congress uses to reapportion the 435 seats among the states, so representation can reflect changes in population over time. Because this requirement is fixed in the Constitution, shifts in how many seats a state has take effect after the next election cycle. The other options don’t fit the constitutional rule: it isn’t done annually, every twenty years, or only during wartime.