New Hampshire’s 400-member House of Representatives is the largest state legislative chamber in the United States. In fact, it’s nearly twice the size of the next-largest state House: Pennsylvania has 203 members.
This week, we asked readers: Is New Hampshire’s 400-member House too big? Why or why not?
Here’s what they had to say…
“The house should be reduced by half, the senate boosted by half.” — Burt Cohen, senator 1990-2004
“Yes. It is past time for NH to professionalize its General Court and pay a modest salary sufficient to make it a full-time job for people other than the wealthy and the retired.” — Bill Carr
“It’s not easy to balance the unwieldiness of a large legislature with the need to give many small communities an equal voice in the state government. That being said; it seems to me that intelligent use of up-to-date communication and efficient planning should enable our representatives to continue to conduct state business within the existing structure. Throwing the baby out with the bath water in the name of efficiency serves no one.” — JoAnn Carlson
“YES! Way way too big, impossible to get good work done, and very intimidating for new legislators to get onboarded and be engaged in their first experience. It is ridiculous and keeps NH from making progress.” — Mary Gannon
“I agree with Bert Cohen about reducing the house by half and increasing the senate by half and paying them a modest amount say 20k?” — Michael Blackledge
