The Green Papers: 2024 General Election
 
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htm 118th Congress
Senate Seats by State

This is a list of the current Senate seats and the incumbents occupying them. Not counting special elections, 33 Senate Seats are up for election on 5 November 2024.

There have been 0 deaths, 1 resignations, and 0 changes re: party breakdown in the 118th Senate.

  • Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez (Democratic, New Jersey, Class 1) resigned on 20 August 2024.
  • Senator George S. Helmy (Democratic, New Jersey, Class 1) was appointed on xx and sworn in August 2024.

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Legislative Links     Senate Electoral Classes

           

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

California  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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."
 ** 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

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

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

Connecticut  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  Christopher Scott "Chris" Murphy
First elected: 2012; re-elected: 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

Class 3 Democratic Senator  Richard Blumenthal
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2016, 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028
 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
Seat up for regular election
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 ..."
 ** 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

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

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

Hawaii  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  Mazie K. Hirono
First elected: 2012; re-elected: 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

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

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

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

Maryland  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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, ..."
 ** 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

Massachusetts  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  Elizabeth Ann Warren
First elected: 2012; re-elected: 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

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

Michigan  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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 ... "
 ** 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

Minnesota  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  Amy J. Klobuchar
First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

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

Montana  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  R. Jon "Jon" Tester
First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

Nevada  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  Jacklyn Sheryl "Jacky" Rosen
First elected: 2018
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

Class 3 Democratic Senator  Catherine Marie Cortez Masto
First elected: 2016; re-elected: 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028

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

Class 3 Democratic Senator  Margaret Wood "Maggie" Hassan
First elected: 2016; re-elected: 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028

New Jersey  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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
 ** 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

New Mexico  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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

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.

New York  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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

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

Ohio  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  Sherrod Brown
First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

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

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

Pennsylvania  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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".

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.

Rhode Island  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator  Sheldon Whitehouse, II
First elected: 2006; re-elected: 2012, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
Renominated

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

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

Virginia  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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.

Class 2 Democratic Senator  Mark Robert Warner
First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014, 2020.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026

Washington  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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

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

West Virginia  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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."
 ** Open Seat (no incumbent) **

Wisconsin  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
Partisan Composition: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 1
Seat up for regular election
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
 
  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 Class

Class 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.
Class 2 seats began their terms at noon on 3 January 2021 and end their terms on 3 January 2027. The next regular election for these seats is 3 November 2026.
Class 3 seats began their terms at noon on 3 January 2023 and end their terms on 3 January 2029. The next regular election for these seats is 7 November 2028.

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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