The Green Papers: 2014 General Election |
113th Congress Senate Seats by State |
|||
|
Alabama 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Alaska 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Mark Begich First elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 19 August 2014 Primary |
|||
Arizona 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Arkansas 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Mark Lunsford Pryor First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 20 May 2014 Primary |
|||
California 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Dianne Feinstein First elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 1992 [held to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Pete Wilson (Republican): 7 January 1991- which John Seymour (Republican) had been appointed by Governor Pete Wilson (Republican) to fill, 10 January 1991]; Elected to full term: 1994; re-elected 2000; 2006; 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Barbara Boxer First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004, 2010. [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
Colorado 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Mark E. Udall First elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 24 June 2014 Primary |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Michael F. Bennet Appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Ken Salazar on 21 January 2009 after entering upon his duties as Secretary of the Interior; appointed 21 January 2009 and sworn 22 January 2009. First elected: 2010. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
Connecticut 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Christopher Scott "Chris" Murphy First elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Richard Blumenthal First elected: 2010 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
Delaware 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Thomas R. "Tom" Carper First elected: 2000; re-elected 2006, 2012 [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990; elected Governor: 1992; re-elected: 1996] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Christopher A. "Chris" Coons Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected in a special election: 2010 (to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Joe Biden [Democrat] in January 2009 in order to accede to the Vice-Presidency of the United States; he replaces Senator Edward E. "Ted" Kaufman [Democrat] who had been appointed by the Governor of DELAWARE to temporarily fill the vacancy.) Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 9 September 2014 Primary |
|||
Florida 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Bill Nelson First elected: 2000; re-elected 2006, 2012 [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Georgia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Hawaii 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Mazie K. Hirono First elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Brian Emanuel Schatz Appointed: 26 December 2012 (re 17 December 2012 death of Senator Daniel K. Inouye [Democratic]) Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 Special Election: Tuesday 4 November 2014. Renominated: 9 August 2014 Primary. Next Regular Election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
Class 3 Special Election |
Democratic | Seat up for special election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Special Election |
|||
Idaho 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Illinois 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008 [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 18 March 2014 Primary |
|||
Indiana 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Joseph Simon "Joe" Donnelly First elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Iowa 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996; 2002, 2008 [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Open Seat - 26 January 2013: Announced he will not seek re-election. |
|||
  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Kansas 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Kentucky 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Louisiana 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Mary L. Landrieu First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 |
|||
Maine 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Independent, 1 Republican | |||||
Maryland 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Benjamin L. "Ben" Cardin First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Barbara A. Mikulski First elected: 1986; re-elected: 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
Massachusetts 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Elizabeth A. Warren First elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Edward John "Ed" Markey Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected in a Special Election: 25 June 2013 (re: resignation of Senator John Forbes Kerry (Democratic) to become Secretary of State) Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 9 September 2014 Primary |
|||
Michigan 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Debbie Stabenow First elected: 2000; re-elected 2006, 2012 [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1996, 1998] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator Carl Levin First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Open Seat - 7 March 2013: "I have decided not to run for reelection in 2014." |
|||
  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Minnesota 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Amy J. Klobuchar First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Al Franken Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 2008 in a contested election resolved 30 June 2009 by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Sworn 7 July 2009. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 12 August 2014 Primary |
|||
Mississippi 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Missouri 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Claire C. McCaskill First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Montana 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator R. Jon "Jon" Tester First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator John E. Walsh Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Open Seat - 7 August 2014: Withdrew as a candidate following a plagiarism scandal. "The 2007 research paper from my time at the U.S. Army War College has become a distraction ... I am ending my campaign...." Senator Walsh was renominated by Primary on 3 June 2014 and will serve out the remainder of his term which ends in January 2015. The Democratic Party chose state Representative Amanda Curtis as the replacement nominee at a Special Nominating Convention on Saturday 16 August. |
|||
  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Nebraska 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Nevada 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Republican, 1 Democratic | |||||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Harry Mason Reid First elected: 1986; re-elected: 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
New Hampshire 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Jeanne Shaheen Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 9 September 2014 Primary |
|||
New Jersey 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez Appointed by Governor Jon S. Corzine to fill the vacancy caused by Corzine having resigned this seat 17 January 2006 upon taking the Oath of Office as Governor of the State; first elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012. [Previously served in the U.S. House to which he was first elected in 1992: subsequently re-elected in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Cory A. Booker Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 16 October 2013 in a Special Election re: passing of Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (Democratic). Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 3 June 2014 Primary |
|||
New Mexico 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Martin Trevor Heinrich First elected: 2012. Previously served in the U.S. House elected 2008, re-elected 2010 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Tom Udall Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 3 June 2014 Primary |
|||
New York 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand 23 January 2009: Appointed by Governor David Paterson to fill the vacancy caused by the 21 January 2009 resignation of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in order to enter upon her duties as U.S. Secretary of State. Sworn 27 January 2009 to serve until a Special Election was held in November 2010 for the remainder of the term ending 3 January 2013. First elected in a special election: 2010; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Schumer First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004, 2010. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
North Carolina 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Janet Kay Ruthven "Kay" Hagan First elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 6 May 2014 Primary |
|||
North Dakota 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Heidi Heitkamp First elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Ohio 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Sherrod Brown First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Oklahoma 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Oregon 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 20 May 2014 Primary |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden First elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 30 January 1996 [held to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Robert Packwood (Republican): 1 October 1995 (Oregon state law does not permit the state's Governor to make temporary appointments to fill vacancies in the United States Senate)]; elected to a full term: 1998; re-elected: 2004, 2010. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
Pennsylvania 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Robert P. "Bob" Casey, Jr. First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Rhode Island 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, II First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator John F. "Jack" Reed Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 9 September 2014 Primary |
|||
South Carolina 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
South Dakota 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator Tim Johnson First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002; re-elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Open Seat - 26 March 2013: Announced retirement |
|||
  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Tennessee 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Texas 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Utah 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican | |||||
Vermont 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Independent, 1 Democratic | |||||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Patrick J. Leahy First elected: 1974; re-elected: 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
Virginia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine First elected: 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 former DNC Chair |
|||
Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Mark Robert Warner Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2014 First elected: 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Renominated - 10 June 2014 Primary Nominations-- Democrats have named their nominee. Republicans nominate by convention. |
|||
Washington 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Maria E. Cantwell First elected: 2000; re-elected: 2006, 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Patricia L. "Patty" Murray First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004, 2010. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016 |
|||
West Virginia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Joe Manchin, III First elected in a special election to a partial term to fill the vacancy caused by the 28 June 2010 death of Senator Robert C. Byrd (Democratic): 2 November 2010. He replaces Senator Carte P. Goodwin (Democrat) who had been appointed by Governor Joe Manchin (Democratic) to temporarily fill the vacancy. Won the special election for the term ending in Jaunary 2013 and the the concurrent regular election for the term ending January 2019: 6 November 2012 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller, IV First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014 Open Seat - 11 January 2013: Announced retirement at the end of his term. |
|||
  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Wisconsin 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 | Democratic | Senator Tammy Baldwin First elected: 2012. [Previously served in the U.S. House: First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018 |
|||
Wyoming 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Republican |
Political Parties Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such. |
Major Parties | |
Democratic | |
Democratic-Farmer Labor | |
Democratic-Nonpartisan League | |
Republican | |
Major Third Parties | |
Constitution | |
Green | |
Libertarian | |
Pacific Green | |
Reform | |
Other Third Parties | |
America's Party | |
American | |
Americans Elect | |
D-R Party | |
Independence | |
Independent Party of Oregon | |
Mountain | |
Progressive | |
Tea | |
U.S. Taxpayers | |
Unity | |
Working Families | |
Independents | |
By Petition | |
Independent | |
Non Affiliated | |
Unaffiliated | |
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable | |
Not readily classifiable | |
Scattering | |
Write-in |
Notes |
Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from a legal election authority that the person has been officially certified to appear on the ballot. "FEC" indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary. When available, we post each candidate's FEC identification number, the date of their most recently filed Report of Receipts and Disbursements, their "Tot" [Total Receipts (contributions received or what came in: FEC Form 3, Line 16, Column B)] and their "Dsb" [Total Disbursements (expenditures or what was spent: FEC Form 3, Line 23, Column B)]. A link is provided to the Federal Election Commission's Summary Report for those who might wish to explore the details. If a candidate raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not subject to FEC reporting requirements. Senate ClassClass 1 seats begin their terms at noon on 3 January 2013 and end their terms on 3 January 2019. The next regular election for these seats is in 6 November 2018. For more information on Senate Classes refer to UNITED STATES SENATE: Electoral "Classes". Article I, Section 3, clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: "Immediately after [the Senate of the United States] shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year..." Pursuant to this Constitutional provision, a three-Senator Committee was appointed by the Senate on 11 May 1789 to come up with a plan to carry out the requirements of that provision; this Committee reported to the Senate on 14 May 1789 a plan to divide the then 20 Senators (there were 10 of the 13 original States represented in the Senate at the time- each having 2 Senators: North Carolina and Rhode Island had yet to ratify the U.S. Constitution, while New York had so ratified but had failed to elect Senators as of that date) into the requisite three electoral Classes: under this plan, three groups of Senators (set up in such a way so as no State had its two Senators in the same group) were to be listed and the first Senator on each list (a list which was set up geographically north-to-south in the manner in which the Electoral Vote for President was counted before Congress at that time, so that two of the first Senators on these lists were from New Hampshire and the third was the first Senator in alphabetical order from Massachusetts) was to each blindly draw a piece of paper numbered either "1", "2" or "3" out of a box in the possession of the Secretary of the Senate. This plan being agreeable to the Senate and so approved, the drawing of lots in this manner was carried out the following day (15 May 1789)- such lot drawing ultimately determining that, to start with, Classes 1 and 2 were to have 7 Senators each and Class 3 was to have only 6 Senators. When New York finally seated its two Senators during the ensuing Summer, there was another lot drawing (actually a double-lot drawing) on 28 July 1789 to determine the Classes for these seats: since one of the seats had to be Class 3 to make it equal in number to that of the other two Classes so far, the two New York Senators each blindly drew between two pieces of paper, one marked "3", the other which was blank- after this, there was a second lot drawing in which the New York Senator who had drawn the blank paper blindly drew again between two pieces of paper marked "1" and "2": he drew "1" so that New York would henceforth have Senators of electoral Classes 1 and 3. When North Carolina seated its two Senators after ratifying the Constitution on 21 November 1789, there was yet another lot drawing (on 29 January 1790) in which North Carolina's two Senators each blindly drew between pieces of paper marked "2" and "3" (since there were now 12 States and, thus, 24 Senators: 24 being equally divisible by 3, there would now have to be 8 Senators in each of the three Classes to fulfill the Constitutional provision that, as nearly as was practicable, one third of the Senate be elected every second year). After Rhode Island- the last of the 13 original States- finally ratified the Constitution on 29 May 1790 and subsequently seated its two Senators that Summer, there was yet one more lot drawing in the First Congress (on 25 June 1790) in which Rhode Island's two Senators blindly drew between pieces of paper marked "1", "2" and "3": one Senator drew "2", the other drew "1"- thereby determining electoral Classes 1 and 2 as those for the Senators from this State. When Vermont was admitted to the Union as the 14th state on 4 March 1791, there was again a double lot drawing as there had been for New York. From that day until this, whenever a new State has been admitted to the Union, these types of lot drawings (the type determined by the necessity of keeping the number of Senators in each electoral Class as close to one third as possible at the time of said lot drawing) between the new State's first Senators is held before the Senate to determine in just which of the three electoral Classes that State's Senate seats will be placed from then on. |
|