Florida has 28 representatives in the U.S. House and another 160 lawmakers in its state legislature — 120 in the Florida House of Representatives and 40 in the Florida Senate. The federal delegation grew from 27 to 28 after the 2020 census, making Florida the third-largest congressional delegation in the country.
Florida’s 28 U.S. House Seats
The U.S. House has a fixed total of 435 seats shared among the 50 states, and Florida holds 28 of them, or roughly 6.4% of the chamber’s voting power. That count reflects a one-seat gain after the 2020 census, which recorded 14.6% population growth in Florida over the prior decade.1U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 Census Apportionment Results Delivered to the President
Members serve two-year terms and are elected directly by voters in their district.2Constitution Annotated. U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 2 To run for one of Florida’s House seats, a candidate must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and living in Florida at the time of the election.3Constitution Annotated. Overview of House Qualifications Clause
The 160 Seats in the Florida Legislature
At the state level, Article III of the Florida Constitution establishes a two-chamber legislature that meets in Tallahassee to pass state laws, approve the budget, and confirm the governor’s appointments.4Florida Center for Instructional Technology. Constitution of the State of Florida – Article III The Florida House has 120 members; the Florida Senate has 40.
State House members serve two-year terms. State senators serve four-year terms on a staggered schedule, with roughly half the Senate up for election every two years.5Online Sunshine. The 2025 Florida Statutes Section 100.041 No member of either chamber can serve more than eight consecutive years in the same chamber.
The qualifications for state office are lighter than the federal ones. A candidate for the state House or Senate must be at least 21 years old, a registered Florida voter, a resident of the district they want to represent, and a Florida resident for at least two years before the election.4Florida Center for Instructional Technology. Constitution of the State of Florida – Article III
Why the Number Changes Every Ten Years
The Constitution requires a nationwide population count every decade, and those results determine how the 435 House seats are divided among the states.6Constitution Annotated. ArtI.S2.C3.1 Enumeration Clause and Apportioning Seats in the House of Representatives This apportionment process is what moved Florida from 27 seats to 28 after 2020. Seven seats shifted among 13 states that year, with Texas the only state to gain more than one.1U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 Census Apportionment Results Delivered to the President
Congress locked the House at 435 total seats in 1929, so apportionment is a zero-sum exercise. When a fast-growing state gains a seat, a slower-growing state loses one.7History, Art and Archives, U.S. House of Representatives. The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929 The formula in use since 1941, called the Method of Equal Proportions, guarantees every state at least one seat and distributes the remaining 385 based on population.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 2 USC 2a Reapportionment of Representatives
The 2020 census counted Florida’s population at roughly 21.5 million. Divided across 28 districts, that works out to about 769,000 residents per congressional district. The next count in 2030 will decide whether Florida gains or loses seats depending on how its growth compares with other states. Florida has been one of the fastest-growing states for several decades, and most projections expect the delegation to grow again.
One Representative Per District
Each of Florida’s 28 U.S. House members represents a specific geographic district, and every state legislator represents a district as well. Under the “one person, one vote” principle from Reynolds v. Sims (1964), districts within a state must contain roughly equal numbers of people. The population count for that math includes everyone living in the district, not only registered voters.
Florida has stricter redistricting rules than many states. The Fair Districts amendments, added to the state constitution by voters in 2010, prohibit drawing districts to favor or disfavor any political party or incumbent, and require districts to be contiguous, reasonably compact, and to follow existing city, county, and geographic boundaries where feasible.9Florida Department of State. Constitutional Initiatives – Fair Districts Amendment The Florida Legislature draws the maps, and courts have thrown out maps that violate these standards.