The Green Papers: 2024 General Election |
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Arizona 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Independent, 1 Democratic | |||||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Mark Kelly First elected in a special election [caused by the passing of Senator John Sidney McCain (Republican), resignation of appointed Senator Jon Llewellyn Kyl (Republican), and replacing appointed Senator Senator Martha E. McSally (Republican)]: 2020; re-elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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California 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 Open |
Democratic | Senator Laphonza Romanique Butler Appointed to the U.S. Senate 1 October 2023 [re: 28 September 2023 passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)] by Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Open Seat - 19 October 2023: "... I've decided not to run for Senate in the upcoming election." |
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  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Senator Dianne Feinstein (Democratic); who was first elected to finish out the term in a Special Election in 1992 and elected to full terms in 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018; died on 28 September 2023. She was 90. The Special Election in 1992 was held to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Pete Wilson (Republican) on 7 January 1991- which John Seymour (Republican) had been appointed by Governor Pete Wilson (Republican) to fill on 10 January 1991. 14 February 2023: "I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 ...." circa March 2023: "I was diagnosed over the February recess with a case of shingles [herpes varicella zoster virus-- Ed]. I have been hospitalized ...." 12 April 2023: Do to ongoing health issues, she announced that her return to the Senate has been delayed and asked for a temporary replacement on the Judiciary Committee. 14 April 2023: Filed a termination report with the FEC. 10 May 2023: Returned to the U.S. Senate. 28 September 2023: Senator Dianne Feinstein, 90, has died. Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) will appoint a successor who will fill the seat until the Special Election in November 2024. 1 October 2023: Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) appoints Laphonza Butler to fill the vacant seat. She was sworn on 2 October 2023. | |||||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Alex Padilla Appointed 22 December 2020 [re: Election of Senator Kamala D. Harris (Democratic) as Vice President] First elected in a concurrent Special Election and General Election: 8 November 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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Colorado 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator John W. Hickenlooper Previously served as Colorado Governor, first elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 2020 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Michael Farrand 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, re-elected: 2016, 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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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; re-elected: 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Richard Blumenthal First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2016, 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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8 April 2023: Senator Blumenthal fractured his femur. 10 April 2023: Senator Blumenthal said his surgery was "completely successful". | |||||
Delaware 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 Open |
Democratic | Senator Thomas R. "Tom" Carper First elected: 2000; re-elected 2006, 2012, 2018; [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990; elected Governor: 1992; re-elected: 1996] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Open Seat - 22 May 2023: Announced retirement. "As last year came to a close ... Martha and I began to focus on what I should do next. If I ran for a 5th term in the Senate and won, it would be a record 15 statewide elections. After a good deal of prayer and introspection, and more than a few heart-to-heart conversations, we’ve decided we should run through the tape over the next 20 months and finish the important work that my staff and I have begun ..." |
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  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Christopher A. "Chris" Coons 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.). Re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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Georgia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator T. Jonathan "Jon" Ossoff First elected: 5 January 2021 (regular runoff election) Seat up for regular election: Friday 6 November 2026 |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Raphael Gamaliel Warnock First elected in a special runoff election: 5 January 2021 [re: resignation of Senators John Hardy "Johnn" Isakson (Republican) and Kelly Loeffler (Republican)]; re-elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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Hawaii 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 |
Democratic | Senator Mazie K. Hirono First elected: 2012; re-elected: 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Brian Emanuel Schatz Appointed: 26 December 2012 (re 17 December 2012 death of Senator Daniel K. Inouye [Democratic]). First elected in a special election: 2014; re-elected: 2016, 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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Illinois 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin Served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator L. Tammy Duckworth First elected: 2016. Previously served in the U.S. Congress (2013-2017); re-elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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Maryland 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 Open |
Democratic | Senator Benjamin L. "Ben" Cardin First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Open Seat - 1 May 2023: Senator Cardin will not seek re-election in 2024: "I have run my last election and will not be on the ballot in 2024, ..." |
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  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen, Jr. Previously served in the U.S. Congress elected: 2002-2014. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 2016; re-elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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Massachusetts 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 |
Democratic | Senator Elizabeth Ann Warren First elected: 2012; re-elected: 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Edward John "Ed" Markey First elected in a Special Election: 25 June 2013 (re: resignation of Senator John Forbes Kerry (Democratic) to become Secretary of State); re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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Michigan 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 Open |
Democratic | Senator Debbie Stabenow First elected: 2000; re-elected 2006, 2012, 2018. [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1996, 1998] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Open Seat - 5 January 2023: "... I am announcing ... that I will not seek re-election and will leave ... at the end of my term on January 3, 2025 ... " |
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  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Gary C. Peters Previously served in the U.S. House: 2009-2015. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 2014; re-elected: 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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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, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Tina Flint Smith Appointed: 13 December 2017 [re: resignation of Senator Al Franken (Democratic)]; first elected in a Special Election: 2018, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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Montana 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 |
Democratic | Senator R. Jon "Jon" Tester First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Nevada 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 |
Democratic | Senator Jacklyn Sheryl "Jacky" Rosen First elected: 2018 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Catherine Marie Cortez Masto First elected: 2016; re-elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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New Hampshire 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Jeanne Shaheen First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Margaret Wood "Maggie" Hassan First elected: 2016; re-elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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New Jersey 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 Open |
Democratic | Senator George S. Helmy Appointed by Governor Philip "Phil" Murphy (Democratic) to fill the vacancy caused by the 20 August 2024 resignation of Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez (Democratic). Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Open Seat |
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  | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
22 September 2023: Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez (Democratic) is indicted on counts of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud, and Conspiracy to Commit Extortion Under Color of Official Right. Reference 23 CRIM 490. 12 October 2023: Superseding indictment Reference S1 23 Cr. 490 (SHS). Superseding Indictment charges Senator Menendez with Conspiracy to Act as Foreign Agent. 7 March 2024: Media reports indicate Senator Menendez will not run for re-election. 21 March 2024: "I will not file for the Democratic primary this June." 16 July 2024: Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez (Democratic) is convicted on 16 counts: 1 count of conspiracy to commit bribery, 1 count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, 1 count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, 1 count of conspiracy to act as a foreign agent, 2 counts of bribery, 3 counts of wire fraud, 3 counts of extortion, 1 count of acting as a foreign agent, 1 count of obstruction of justice, and 2 counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Sentencing is scheduled for 29 October 2024. 17 July 2024: Media reports state that Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez (Democratic) will resign. 23 July 2024: Senator Menendez resigns effective 20 August 2024. 14 August 2024: Media reports say Governor Philip "Phil" Murphy (Democratic) intends to appoint his former chief of staff, George S. Helmy, to the seat. 20 August 2024: Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez (Democratic) resigned. He was appointed by Governor Jon S. Corzine to fill the vacancy caused by Senator Corzine having resigned this seat 17 January 2006 upon taking the Oath of Office as Governor of the State. He was first elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2012, 2018. He previously served in the U.S. House to which he was first elected in 1992 and subsequently re-elected in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. | |||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Cory A. Booker First elected: 16 October 2013 in a Special Election re: passing of Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (Democratic). Re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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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; re-elected: 2018. Previously served in the U.S. House elected 2008, re-elected 2010 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Ben Ray Luján Previously served in the U.S. House, first elected: 2008, re-elected: 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018; first elected to the U.S. Senate: 2020 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 1 February 2022: Suffered a stroke and expecting to make a full recovery. 2 February 2022: Media reports state the Senator will return to work in 4 to 6 weeks. |
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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, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Schumer First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004, 2010, 2016, 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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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, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Oregon 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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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, 2016, 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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Pennsylvania 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
Class 1 |
Democratic | Senator Robert P. "Bob" Casey, Jr. First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated - 5 January 2023: "Last month, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. ... I can report that I have an excellent prognosis..." 15 February 2023: Reports state that his surgery for prostate cancer was successful and that he "should not require further treatment". |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator John Karl Fetterman First elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 15 February 2023: Voluntary hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to "receive treatment for clinical depression". 17 April 2023: Returned to the Senate. |
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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, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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Class 2 | Democratic | Senator John F. "Jack" Reed Previously served in the U.S. House: First elected: 1990, re-elected: 1992, 1994. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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Vermont 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Independent, 1 Democratic | |||||
Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Peter Francis Welch First elected: 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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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; re-elected: 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Nominations-- Democrats will nominate by Convention. Republicans will nominate by Primary. |
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Class 2 | Democratic | Senator Mark Robert Warner First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
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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, 2018. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 on General Election ballot |
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Class 3 | Democratic | Senator Patricia L. "Patty" Murray First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016, 2022. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028 |
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West Virginia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican | |||||
Class 1 Open |
Democratic | Senator Joseph "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, re-elected: 2018 as a Democrat. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Open Seat - 9 November 2023: "I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate...." 31 May 2024: "My commitment to do everything I can to bring out country together has led me to register as an independent with no party affiliation." |
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  | ** 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; re-elected: 2018. [Previously served in the U.S. House: First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010] Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024 Renominated |
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 | |
Peace And Justice | |
U.S. Taxpayers | |
Other Third Parties | |
America First | |
American Independent | |
American Solidarity | |
The Better Party | |
Cheaper Grass Groceries | |
Conservative | |
Disrupt The Corruption | |
Epic | |
Independence-Alliance | |
Independent American | |
Independent Party Of Delaware | |
LaRouche | |
Natural Law | |
Socialist Workers Party | |
Vote Better | |
We The People | |
Working Families | |
Independents | |
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By Petition | |
Independent | |
No Party Affiliation | |
None | |
Nonparty | |
Other | |
Other Candidates | |
Unaffiliated | |
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable | |
None of these candidates | |
US Altogether | |
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 2019 and end their terms on 3 January 2025. The next regular election for these seats is in 5 November 2024. 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. |
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