The Green Papers: 2020 General Election
 
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htm 116th 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 3 November 2020.

There have been 0 deaths, 1 resignation, and 0 changes re: party breakdown in the 116th Senate.

  • Senator Martha E. McSally (Republican, Arizona Class 3) was appointed on 31 December 2018 by Governor Doug Ducey (Republican) and was sworn on 3 January 2019.
  • Senator John Hardy "Johnny" Isakson (Republican, Georgia Class 3) resigned on 31 December 2019.
  • Senator Kelly Loeffler (Republican, Georgia Class 3) was appointed on 4 December 2019, to fill the seat once it becomes vacant, by Governor Brian Porter Kemp (Republican) and was sworn on 6 January 2020.
  • Senator Mark Kelley (Democratic, Arizona Class 3) was sworn on 2 December 2020. He was first elected in a Special Election on 3 November 2020. This seat was previously held by former Senator John McCain who passed away on 25 August 2018, appointed Senators Jon Llewellyn Kyl (Republican), and Martha E. McSally (Republican).

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Legislative Links     Senate Electoral Classes

           

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Doug Jones
First elected in a Special Election 12 December 2017 [re: resignation of Senator Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff" Sessions, III (Republican) who was confirmed as Attorney General in the Trump administration.]
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated
 

Senator Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff" Sessions, III (Republican) who was first elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2002, 2008, and 2014 was confirmed as Attorney General in the Trump administration on 8 February 2017 by the U.S. Senate, 52-47.
9 February 2017: Governor Robert J. Bentley (Republican) named state Attorney General Luther Strange to the seat.
On 9 February 2017, Governor Robert J. Bentley (Republican) called a special election concurrent with the regular 6 November 2018 election to fill the remaining 2 years of the term.
18 April 2017: Governor Kay Ivey (Republican) called a Special Election for Tuesday 12 December 2017. The primary is Tuesday 15 August 2017. If no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote in the primary, a Tuesday 26 September 2017 runoff will be held between the top two vote-getters.
12 December 2017: Doug Jones (Democratic) is elected in a Special Election.
28 December 2017: Doug Jones (Democratic) is certified as the winner.
3 January 2018: Doug Jones (Democratic) is sworn.


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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema
First elected: 2018
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024

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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022
 
19 July 2017: Senator McCain has brain cancer (glioblastoma).
24 August 2018: Senator McCain's family announced he is ending medical treatment for cancer.
25 August 2018: Senator John Sidney McCain, 81, passed away. He was first elected in 1986 and re-elected in 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010, and 2016. He also served in the U.S. House being elected in 1982 and 1984. State law requires Governor Doug Ducey to appoint a person from the same party as McCain to fill the seat. The newly appointed Senator will serve until a Special Election in November 2020.
4 September 2018: Governor Doug Ducey (Republican) appoints former Senator Jon Llewellyn Kyl to fill the remainder of Senator McCain's term. Senator Kyl was sworn on 5 September 2018 and will not run for election to this the Seat. Senator Kyl was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994 and re-elected in 2000 and 2006. He was not a candidate for reelection in 2012. He also served in U.S. House being elected in 1986, 1988, 1990, and 1992.
28 November 2018: A lawsuit is filed in Federal District Court claiming that Arizona must hold a special election to fill this seat. Ref: Tedards v Ducey, 2:18cv-4241.
14 December 2018: Senator Kyl will resign on 31 December 2018. Governor Doug Ducey (Republican) will fill the seat by appointing a new senator.
18 December 2018: Governor Doug Ducey (Republican) has selected Member of Congress Martha E. McSally (Republican) to fill the seat.
31 December 2018: Senator Jon Llewellyn Kyl (Republican) resigns.
Governor Doug Ducey (Republican) has called a 3 November 2020 special election to fill the seat.
31 December 2018 Governor Doug Ducey (Republican) appointed Senator Martha E. McSally (Republican) to fill the vacant seat until the special election.
3 November 2020: Mark Kelly (Democratic) is elected in a special election.
2 December 2020: Mark Kelly (Democratic) is sworn.

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, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024

Class 3 Democratic Senator Kamala D. Harris
First elected: 2016
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022
Open Seat - 11 August 2020: Former Vice President Joe Biden chooses Senator Kamala D. Harris as his Running Mate.
7 November 2020: Apparently elected Vice President.
Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) will appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of the term ending in 2023.
22 December 2020: Secretary of State Alex Padilla (Democratic) is chosen by Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) to fill the Senate Class 3 Seat Senator Kamala D. Harris (Democratic) who has been elected Vice President.

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

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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022
2 May 2019: "We cannot be the first generation to leave less to our kids, not more. That’s why I’m running for President. Let’s build opportunity for every American and restore integrity to our government."
 4 April 2019: Senator Michael F. Bennet announced he has prostate cancer. The prognosis is good.

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

Class 3 Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2016.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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, 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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Christopher A. "Chris" Coons
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
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
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

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
 16 May 2017: Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced she has kidney cancer and expects a full recovery.

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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008, 2014
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994]
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

Class 3 Democratic Senator L. Tammy Duckworth
First elected: 2016. Previously served in the U.S. Congress (2013-2017).
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024

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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Edward John "Ed" Markey
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
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
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

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, 2018.
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1996, 1998]
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Gary C. Peters
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2014.
Previously served in the U.S. House: 2009-2015.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

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
 10 February 2019: "I stand before you ... to announce my candidacy for President of the United States."
2 March 2020: Dropped out of the President contest and endorsed former Vice President Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. after coming in 6th place in South Carolina.

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Tina Flint Smith
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
Appointed: 13 December 2017 [re: resignation of Senator Al Franken (Democratic)]; first elected in a Special Election: 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

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

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

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

Class 3 Democratic Senator Catherine Marie Cortez Masto
First elected: 2016
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

Class 3 Democratic Senator Margaret Wood "Maggie" Hassan
First elected: 2016
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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, 2018
[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 5 November 2024

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Cory A. Booker
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 16 October 2013 in a Special Election re: passing of Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (Democratic). Re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated - 1 February 2019: "I'm Cory Booker and I'm running for president of the United States of America...." New Jersey law allows candidates to concurrently run for President and Senator simultaneously.
13 January 2020: "It's with a full heart that I share this news -- I've made the decision to suspend my campaign for president."

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Open
Democratic Senator Tom Udall
First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Open Seat - 25 March 2019: "... I'm announcing today that I won’t be seeking re-election next year."
 ** Open Seat (no incumbent) **

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

Class 3 Democratic Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Schumer
First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004, 2010, 2016.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator John F. "Jack" Reed
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008, 2014.
Previously served in the U.S. House: First elected: 1990, re-elected: 1992, 1994.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated

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, 2016.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Senator Mark Robert Warner
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated -
Nominations-- Democrats unopposed. Republicans will nominate by Primary.

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

Class 3 Democratic Senator Patricia L. "Patty" Murray
First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

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

Class 1 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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024

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

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
  Republican
Major Third Parties
  Constitution
  Green
  Green Independent
  Libertarian
  Pacific Green
Other Third Parties
  Alaskan Independence
  Alliance Party
  Approval Voting
  Grassroots - Legalize Cannabis
  Independent Party Of Delaware
  Independent Party of Oregon
  Legal Marijuana Now
  Natural Law
  Progressive
  U.S. Taxpayers
  United Party
  Unity
  Willie Wilson Party
  Working Families
  Your Voice Hard
Independents
 
  Independent
  LaRouche was Right
  No Party
  No Party Affiliation
  Non Affiliated
  None
  Nonpartisan
  Of, By, For!
  Other
  Unaffiliated
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise 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 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 2015 and end their terms on 3 January 2021. The next regular election for these seats is 3 November 2020.
Class 3 seats began their terms at noon on 3 January 2017 and end their terms on 3 January 2023. The next regular election for these seats is 8 November 2022.

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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