Isabella Carter
The original method of electing senators in the United States was outlined in Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, where each state legislature elected two senators from their state for a six-year term. Citizens voted for their state legislators, and those legislators then voted for senators to represent their state in Congress. This was seen as a way to give states a sense of authority and legitimacy in selecting representatives for the federal government. However, over time, this system faced criticism due to concerns about corruption and electoral deadlocks, leading to calls for direct elections by the people. These concerns culminated in the proposal and ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1912 and 1913, respectively, which established the direct election of senators by popular vote, allowing senators to be more responsive to the demands of their constituents.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Election of senators | Elected by state legislatures |
| Term | Six years |
| Number of senators per state | Two |
| Election process | Direct election by the voting public |
| Vacancies | Filled by state governors until a special election |
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What You'll Learn
Senators were originally chosen by state legislatures
The idea behind this system was to give states a sense of authority and legitimacy in selecting their representatives in the federal government. It was also seen as a way to prevent federal overreach and to ensure that the Senate was composed of the "'better men' of society", who would provide greater stability and deliberation than the House of Representatives.
However, this system faced criticism, particularly in the post-Civil War era, due to concerns about corruption and electoral deadlock. Wealthy and influential individuals could bribe state legislatures to appoint them as senators, and partisan disagreements between state legislators sometimes left Senate seats vacant for extended periods.
In the early 20th century, some states began to move towards popular elections for senators, although these were not direct elections, as the results were confirmed by the state legislature. The push for direct election of senators gained momentum, and in 1911, the House of Representatives passed a resolution proposing a constitutional amendment for the direct election of senators.
The Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1913, ultimately standardized the direct election of senators by the voting public. This amendment superseded the original constitutional provision and marked a shift towards giving more power to the citizens in choosing their representatives.
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Citizens voted for state legislators, who voted for senators
The original method of electing senators in the United States was laid out in Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution. Each state legislature elected its state's senators for a six-year term. Citizens voted for their state legislators, and those legislators then voted for senators. This was an uncontroversial decision at the time, with James Wilson being the sole advocate of electing senators by popular vote.
The system of electing senators by state legislatures was designed to give states a sense of authority and legitimacy in selecting their representatives for the federal government. It was also seen as a bulwark against federal overreach. Additionally, it was believed that having state legislators elect senators would provide greater stability and abler deliberation than the House of Representatives due to the senators' status.
However, there were some criticisms of this system, particularly in the post-Civil War era. Wealthier and more influential candidates could bribe state legislatures to appoint them in exchange for favors. There were also instances of electoral deadlock, where state legislatures failed to reach agreements in their selection of senators, leaving some Senate seats vacant for extended periods.
In the early 20th century, several states began to use the popular vote to elect senators. However, it wasn't a direct election; the election appeared on ballots as a referendum, and the results were then confirmed by the state legislature.
The calls for direct election of senators by the citizens gained momentum, and in 1912, 239 political parties at both the state and national levels had pledged some form of direct election. The House of Representatives passed proposed amendments for the direct election of senators, and in 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, standardizing the popular election of senators across all states.
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Senators were elected for six-year terms
The original method of electing senators in the United States, as outlined in Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, involved state legislatures electing senators for six-year terms. Each state was entitled to two senators, regardless of its size, as per the Connecticut Compromise. This was an uncontroversial decision at the time, with James Wilson being the sole advocate for popular elections.
The election of senators by state legislatures was considered an improvement over the British House of Lords, where members were appointed for life. The state legislatures' role in selecting senators provided a sense of authority and legitimacy to the states in choosing their federal representatives.
However, this method faced criticism, particularly in the post-Civil War era, due to issues of corruption and electoral deadlock. Wealthy and influential individuals could bribe state legislatures to secure senatorial positions, as depicted in a "Puck" cartoon from 1890. Investigations into three elections between 1857 and 1900 revealed instances of corruption.
The issue of electoral deadlock resulted in vacant Senate seats for extended periods. For example, the Indiana legislature faced a two-year vacancy in the mid-1850s due to partisan disagreements.
The Seventeenth Amendment, proposed in 1912 and ratified in 1913, superseded the original method and established the direct election of senators by popular vote. This amendment addressed concerns about the influence of special interests and allowed senators to be more responsive to the demands of their constituents.
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State legislatures retained the right to instruct senators
The Seventeenth Amendment (Amendment XVII) to the United States Constitution established the direct election of United States senators in each state. The amendment superseded the original method of electing senators, which was laid out in Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution. Under the original system, senators were chosen by state legislatures, with each state legislature electing its state's senators for a six-year term.
State legislatures retained the theoretical right to "instruct" their senators, giving states both direct and indirect representation in the federal government. This system of representation was designed to address the problem of the federal government being subject to "special interests". The Senate was conceived as an upper house, with senators chosen by the upper houses of state legislatures for fixed terms, rather than being appointed for life as in the British House of Lords.
The original method of electing senators was intended to give states a sense of authority and legitimacy in selecting their representatives in the federal government. However, over time, this method came under increasing criticism, particularly in the post-Civil War era. There were concerns about corruption, with wealthier and more influential candidates bribing legislatures to appoint them in exchange for favors. Another issue was electoral deadlock, where state legislatures failed to reach agreements, leaving Senate seats vacant for extended periods.
By the early 20th century, many states had begun to use the popular vote to elect senators, although it was not a direct election as the results were confirmed by the state legislature. The push for direct election gained momentum with the Oregon system, which utilized a state primary election to identify the voters' choice while pledging candidates for the state legislature to honor the primary's result. However, it became clear that only a constitutional amendment mandating the direct election of senators would satisfy public demands for reform.
The Seventeenth Amendment, proposed by the 62nd Congress in 1912 and ratified on April 8, 1913, modified Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, allowing voters to cast direct votes for senators. This amendment significantly altered the process of electing senators and changed how vacancies would be filled. It provided for the election of senators by replacing the phrase "chosen by the Legislature thereof" with "elected by the people thereof".
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Direct election of senators was introduced in 1913
The direct election of senators was introduced in 1913, with the Seventeenth Amendment (Amendment XVII) to the United States Constitution. This amendment established that senators would be directly elected by the people of each state, rather than by state legislatures, as was previously the case.
The amendment was proposed by the 62nd Congress in 1912 and became part of the Constitution on April 8, 1913, when it was ratified by three-quarters of state legislatures. The transition to direct elections began with two special elections in Georgia and Maryland, followed by the November 1914 election. It was complete on March 4, 1919, when senators chosen in the November 1918 election took office.
The introduction of direct elections for senators was the culmination of decades of debate and advocacy for reform. As early as 1826, Henry R. Storrs proposed an amendment to provide for popular elections. Similar amendments were introduced in 1829 and 1855, with the "most prominent" proponent being Andrew Johnson, who raised the issue in 1868. By the 1890s, support for direct elections had substantially increased, and the Populist Party incorporated the idea into its platform in 1892. Oregon became the first state to pass a law basing the selection of senators on a popular vote in 1907, and over half of states adopted the "Oregon system".
In the early 20th century, numerous political parties and states began to advocate for direct elections. By 1912, 239 political parties at the state and national levels had pledged support for direct elections, and 33 states had introduced direct primaries. The 1912 Senate investigation of bribery and corruption in the election of Illinois Senator William Lorimer indicated that only a constitutional amendment mandating direct elections would satisfy public demands for reform.
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Frequently asked questions
Senators of the United States Congress were originally chosen by state legislatures. Citizens would vote for their state legislators, and those legislators would vote a man into the U.S. Senate.
Senators were elected for a six-year term.
The Seventeenth Amendment (Amendment XVII) to the United States Constitution established the direct election of United States senators in each state.
