22 Questions
When did voters start electing their senators in the privacy of the voting booth?
Since 1913
According to the Constitution, how were senators originally chosen?
By the state legislatures
Why did the framers of the Constitution want senators to be elected by state legislatures?
To increase the chances of ratifying the Constitution
What was a problem that arose in the mid-1850s regarding the election of senators?
State legislatures were struggling to elect senators
What was a consequence of the struggle to elect senators in the mid-1850s?
The struggle reflected the increasing tensions over slavery and states' rights
What was an example of a state where the conflict over electing a senator resulted in a vacant Senate seat?
Indiana
What was required for the Seventeenth Amendment to be enacted?
A three-fourths majority of the states for ratification
Why did the Senate initially pass the resolution for the Seventeenth Amendment?
Due to support from senators elected through state-initiated reforms
What was the problem with Senate elections in the late 1800s and early 1900s?
They were plagued by corruption and deadlocks.
What is the main difference between the original Constitution and the Seventeenth Amendment?
The method of electing senators
What was the significance of Senator John Stockton's election?
He was elected by a plurality rather than a majority.
Who contributed significantly to the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment?
Senator Borah and political scientist George H. Haynes
What was the result of the law passed in 1866 regulating senatorial elections?
It helped but did not entirely solve the problem.
What happens in the event of a vacancy in the Senate, according to the Seventeenth Amendment?
The governor or executive authority of each state appoints a senator
How many bribery cases were brought before the Senate between 1866 and 1906?
9
When was the first time all senatorial elections were held by popular vote?
1914
What was the outcome of the disputes in the Delaware legislature in 1895?
The legislature reached a stalemate, leaving the Senate seat vacant for two years.
What was the significance of Oregon's experiment with direct election in 1907?
It was the first state to successfully implement direct election.
Who was the reporter hired by William Randolph Hearst to write about corruption in the Senate?
David Graham Phillips
What was the title of the series of articles written by David Graham Phillips?
The Treason of the Senate
How many states had elected U.S. senators through direct election or popular referendum by 1912?
29
What was the outcome of the efforts to reform Senate elections?
The reform efforts led to the direct election of senators being written into the Constitution.
Study Notes
The Election of Senators
- Senators have been elected by the people in the privacy of the voting booth since 1913.
- The framers of the Constitution intended for senators to be chosen by state legislatures, as stated in Article I, Section 3.
The Original Process
- State legislatures elected senators, with the expectation that they would focus on their duties without pressure from the public.
- This process worked well until the mid-1850s, when growing hostilities resulted in vacant Senate seats.
Problems with the Original Process
- The struggle to elect senators reflected increasing tensions over slavery and states' rights, leading to the Civil War.
- After the Civil War, disputes among state legislators led to deadlocks, leaving some Senate seats vacant for extended periods.
- Corruption, intimidation, and bribery became common in the election of senators by state legislatures.
Calls for Reform
- The direct election of senators was first proposed in 1826, with momentum increasing in the 1890s.
- The Populist Party incorporated direct election into its party platform in the mid-1890s.
- Oregon pioneered direct election in 1907, followed by Nebraska, laying the foundation for other states to adopt similar measures.
The Turning Point
- William Randolph Hearst's publishing empire and David Graham Phillips' articles in Cosmopolitan galvanized public pressure for reform in 1906.
- By 1912, 29 states elected senators either as nominees of their party's primary or in a general election.
The Passage of the 17th Amendment
- Senator Joseph Bristow of Kansas offered a Senate resolution to amend the Constitution in 1911.
- The Senate approved the resolution, and it was sent to the House of Representatives for ratification.
- The House passed the amendment in 1912, and it was sent to the states for ratification.
- On April 8, 1913, Connecticut's approval gave the 17th Amendment the required three-fourths majority needed for enactment.
The Impact of the 17th Amendment
- The amendment restates the first paragraph of Article I, Section 3, providing for the election of senators by the people.
- It allows the governor or executive authority of each state to appoint a senator in the event of a vacancy until a general election occurs.
- The 17th Amendment marked the first time all senatorial elections were held by popular vote.
Learn about the history of electing US Senators, from the Constitution to the present day. Understand how the process has changed over time and the role of state legislatures.
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