Disputed congressional elections are decided by which entity?

• A. The Supreme Court
• B. The state supreme courts
• C. Congress
• D. The state legislatures

Answer: (C)

The authority to resolve disputed congressional elections rests with Congress. The Constitution vests in each House the power to judge the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members. When a seat is contested, the appropriate chamber—House for representatives, Senate for senators—conducts the inquiry and decides who was duly elected and should be seated. Courts don’t have the final say on seating, though they may hear related legal challenges; the ultimate seating decision lies with Congress. This arrangement reflects the design that the legislature controls its own membership, with the Senate now handling disputes over its members and the House handling those over its members.