Legislators are elected by nonpartisan ballot, by direction of the 1934 amendment to the state constitution that established the Unicameral. The legislature does conduct its affairs as a nonpartisan body also. Nor do partisan alignments control legislative organization or action. Members know the partisan orientation of other members but seem to form ever-shifting issue coalitions based on personal and constituent interests and personal and geographic relationships with other members. Geographic caucuses play an important role in organizing the Unicameral.
Legislative rules assign each district to a geographic region of the state.
These regions are used to allocate seats on committees. Also, the regional caucuses and caucus leaders play an important role in the assignment of individual members to seats on committees. Dispersal of leadership authority. The Speaker is not the chair of the Board but is an ex officio, votingmember of the Board. The chair of the Appropriations Committee is an ex officio, nonvoting member for certain purposes.