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The 100 seats in the United States Senate are divided into 3 classes to determine which seats will be up for election in any 2-year cycle, with only 1 class being up for election at a time. With senators being elected to fixed terms of 6 years, the classes allow about a third of the seats to be up for election in any presidential or midterm election year instead of having all 100 be up for election at the same time every six years. The seats are also divided in a way that any given state's 2 senators are in different classes so that each seat's term ends in different years. Class 1 and class 2 consist of 33 seats each, while class 3 consists of 34 seats. Elections for class 1 seats are scheduled to take place in 2024, class 2 in 2026, and the elections for class 3 seats in 2028.
The 3 classes were established by Article I, Section 3, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The actual division was originally performed by the Senate of the 1st Congress in May 1789 by lot. [1] Whenever a new state subsequently joined the union, its two Senate seats were assigned to two different classes by a random draw, while keeping the three classes as close to the same number as possible. [2]
The classes only apply to the regular fixed-term elections of the Senate. A special election to fill a vacancy, usually either due to the incumbent resigning or dying while in office, may happen in any given year regardless of the seat's class. [3]
A senator's description as junior or senior senator is also not related to their class. Rather, a state's senior U.S. senator is the one with the greater seniority in the Senate, which is mostly based on length of service.
The U.S. Constitution sets the fixed term of senators to 6 years and staggers their elections into three cycles, so that 1/3 of the Senate was up for election every 2 years. This allows at least some Senate elections to be held during any presidential or midterm election year, as the U.S. President is elected to a fixed term of four years and members of the U.S. House of Representatives are elected to fixed terms of two years. The objective is to promote stability in the Senate, and encourage senators to deliberate measures over time rather than risk a rapid turnover of the entire chamber every 6 years. At the same time, it provided for more frequent elections, as opposed to waiting every 6 years, to prevent senators from permanently combining for "sinister purposes". [1]
The 3 classes of the Senate are specified by Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution:
Immediately after they'll be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they'll be divided as equally as may be into 3 classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the 2nd Year, of the 2nd Class at the Expiration of the 4th Year, and of the 3rd Class at the Expiration of the 6th Year, so that one-third may be chosen every 2nd Year.
The allocation took place in May 1789, several weeks after the first Senate assembled. Only 20 senators from 10 states were present; North Carolina and Rhode Island had not yet ratified the U.S. Constitution, and New York hadn't yet selected its senators because of its late ratification. [4] To decide on how to implement the division into classes, on May 11, the Senate appointed a committee consisting of Senators Ellsworth, Carroll, and Few. [5] In accordance with their recommendation, on May 14 the Senate divided the members into three classes: [6]
Thursday, May 14, 1789. The committee appointed to consider and report a mode of carrying into effect the provision in the second clause of the third section of the first article of the Constitution, reported:
Whereupon, Resolved, That the Senators be divided into three classes:
- The first to consist of Mr. Langdon [of New Hamphire], Mr. Johnson [Connecticut], Mr. Morris [Pennsylvania], Mr. Henry [Maryland], Mr. Izard [South Carolina], and Mr. Gunn [Georgia];
- The second of Mr. Wingate [of New Hamphire], Mr. Strong [Massachusetts], Mr. Paterson [New Jersey], Mr. Bassett [Delaware], Mr. Lee [Virginia], Mr. Butler [South Carolina], and Mr. Few [Georgia];
- And the third of Mr. Dalton [of Massachusetts], Mr. Ellsworth [Connecticut], Mr. Elmer [New Jersey], Mr. Maclay [Pennsylvania], Mr. Read [Delaware], Mr. Carroll [Maryland], and Mr. Grayson [Virginia].
That 3 papers of equal size, numbered 1, 2, and 3, be, by the Secretary, rolled up and put into a box, and drawn by Mr. Langdon, Mr. Wingate, and Mr. Dalton, on behalf of the respective classes in which each of them are placed; and that the classes shall vacate their seats in the Senate according to the order of numbers drawn for them, beginning with number one: And that, when Senators shall take their seats from States that haven't yet appointed Senators, they shall be placed by lot in the foregoing classes, but in such manner as shall keep the classes as nearly equal as may be in numbers.
On the next day, May 15, the term expiration of each class was determined by drawing lots. [6] Lot 1 was drawn by Dalton, 2 by Wingate, and 3 by Langdon.
Upon the expiration of a senator's term of any length, someone starts a new 6-year term as senator (based on election by the state legislatures until the Seventeenth Amendment required direct popular election of senators).
When a new state is admitted to the Union, its two senators are placed into separate classes. Which two classes are determined by a scheme that keeps the three classes as close to the same size as possible, so that the largest class never differs by more than one senator from the smallest class. [2] A random draw determined which new senator enters which of the classes selected to be expanded. [2] This means at least one of any new state's first pair of senators had a term of more than 2 and up to 6 years and the other had a term that was 2 or 4 years shorter.
New York, which held its first Senate elections in July 1789, was the first state to undergo this process after the original May 1789 draw by the Senate of the 1st Congress. Among the new senators, Philip Schuyler drew the lot for class 1 (whose term would end in 1791) while Rufus King drew class 3 (whose term would end in 1795). [7] This made class 1 have 8 senators while classes 2 and 3 had 7 senators each. North Carolina was then assigned classes 2 and 3 after holding its first Senate elections in November 1789, making all three classes have 8 seats each.
When the newest state, Hawaii, was admitted in 1959, its first Senate elections had candidates run either for "seat A" or "B". The new senators, Hiram Fong and Oren E. Long, in a process managed by the Secretary of the Senate, drew lots to determine which of the two would join class 1 (whose term would end in five-and-a-half years), and which would join class 3 (whose term would end in three-and-a-half years). [4] [8] [9] If a 51st state is admitted, it will receive senators in classes 1 and 2, at which point all three classes would have 34 senators. [2]
Because each state is represented by 2 senators, regardless of population, each class varies in electorate and populace. Since the early 19th century, it so happens class 2 senators cumulatively co-represent 50–60% of the population; senators from each of the other 2 classes: 70–75% of the U.S. population. [10] Because each state has 2 senators, the sum of these figures is 200%, not 100%. Several of the most populous states, such as California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, have their senators in classes 1 and 3, provoking this imbalance.
The only times when both of a state's Senate seats are up for election in the same year are either when a new state joins the union (as mentioned above), or when there is a special election to fill a vacant seat. Special elections have no bearing on when the term for that seat ends, and a senator elected in a special election will serve the remainder of the term, until the next regularly scheduled election, not affecting which class that seat falls within. [3]
Class 1 consists of:
States with a class 1 senator: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Class 2 consists of:
States with a class 2 senator: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Class 3 consists of:
States with a class 3 senator: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
This table is re-sorted every two years so that the next scheduled election year appears at the top.
Class | Most recent election year | Next scheduled election year |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | 2018 | 2024 |
Class 2 | 2020 | 2026 |
Class 3 | 2022 | 2028 |
Year | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Presidential | Off-yeara | Midterm | Off-yearb | Presidential |
President | Yes | No | Yes | ||
Senate | Class I (33 seats) | No | Class II (33 seats) | No | Class III (34 seats) |
House | All 435 seats [3] | No | All 435 seats [2] | No | All 435 seats [2] |
Gubernatorial | 11 states, 2 territories DE, IN, MO, MT, NH, NC, ND, UT, VT, WA, WV, AS, PR | 2 states NJ, VA | 36 states, DC, & 3 territories [4] AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, WI, WY, DC (Mayor), GU, MP, VI | 3 states KY, LA, MS | 11 states, 2 territories DE, IN, MO, MT, NH, NC, ND, UT, VT, WA, WV, AS, PR |
Lieutenant gubernatorial [5] | 5 states, 1 territory DE, MO, NC, VT, WA, AS | 1 state VA | 10 states [6] AL, AR, CA, GA, ID, NV, OK, RI, TX, VT | 2 states LA, MS | 5 states, 1 territory DE, MO, NC, VT, WA, AS |
Secretary of state | 8 states MO, MT, NC, OR, PA, VT, WA, WV | None | 26 states AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MA, MI, MN, NE, NV, NM, ND, OH, RI, SC, TX, VT, WI, WY | 2 states KY, MS | 8 states MO, MT, NC, OR, PA, VT, WA, WV |
Attorney general | 10 states IN, MO, MT, NC, OR, PA, UT, VT, WA, WV | 1 state VA | 29 states, DC, & 2 territories AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, MD, MA, MI, MN, NE, NV, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, RI, SC, TX, VT, WI, WY, DC, GU, MP | 2 states KY, MS | 10 states IN, MO, MT, NC, OR, PA, UT, VT, WA, WV |
State treasurer [7] | 9 states MO, NC, ND, OR, PA, UT, VT, WA, WV | None | 23 states AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL (CFO), ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MA, NE, NV, NM, OH, OK, RI, SC, VT, WI, WY | 2 states KY, MS | 9 states MO, NC, ND, OR, PA, UT, VT, WA, WV |
State comptroller/controller | None | None | 7 states CA, CT, IL, MD, NV, NY, SC | None | None |
State auditor | 9 states MT, NC, ND, PA, UT, VT, WA, WV, GU | None | 15 states AL, AR, DE, IN, IA, MA, MN, MO, NE, NM, OH, OK, SD, VT, WY | 1 state KY | 9 states MT, NC, ND, PA, UT, VT, WA, WV, GU |
Superintendent of public instruction | 4 states MT, NC, ND, WA | 1 state WI | 8 states AZ, CA, GA, ID, OK, SC, SD (incl. Land), WY | None | 4 states MT, NC, ND, WA |
Agriculture commissioner | 2 states NC, WV | None | 6 states AL, FL, GA, IA, ND, SC | 2 states KY, MS | 2 states NC, WV |
Insurance commissioner | 3 states NC, ND, WA, | None | 5 states DE, CA GA, KS, OK, | 2 states LA, MS | 3 states NC, ND, WA, |
Other commissioners & elected officials | 1 state NC (Labor) | None | 8 states AZ (Mine Inspector), AR (Land), GA (Land), NM (Land), ND (Tax), OK (Labor), OR (Labor), TX (Land) | None | 1 state NC (Labor) |
State legislatures [8] | 44 states, DC, & 5 territories AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IO, KS, KY, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MN, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY, DC, AS, GU, MP, PR, VI | 2 states VA, NJ | 46 states, DC, & 4 territories AK, AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IO, KS, KY, ME, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MN, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY, DC, AS, GU, MP, VI | 4 states LA, MS, NJ, VA | 44 states, DC, & 5 territories AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IO, KA, KY, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MN, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY, DC, AS, GU, MP, PR, VI |
State boards of education [9] | 8 states, DC, & 3 territories AL, CO, KS, MI, NE, OH, TX, UT, DC, GU, MP, VI | None | 8 states, DC, & 3 territories AL, CO, KS, MI, NE, OH, TX, UT, DC, GU, MP, VI | None | 8 states, DC, & 3 territories AL, CO, KS, MI, NE, OH, TX, UT, DC, GU, MP, VI |
Other state, local, and tribal offices | Varies |
The following table lists the senators by party by class.
|
Democrat Independent who caucuses with Democrats
Republican Not up for election
The following table lists the senators by state and by class, including the states' Cook Partisan Voting Index ratings, which indicate the party direction in which a state tends to lean and the extent of that lean.
The 1st United States Congress, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, met from March 4, 1789, to March 4, 1791, during the first two years of George Washington's presidency, first at Federal Hall in New York City and later at Congress Hall in Philadelphia. With the initial meeting of the First Congress, the United States federal government officially began operations under the new frame of government established by the 1787 Constitution. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the provisions of Article I, Section 2, Clause 3, of the Constitution. Both chambers had a Pro-Administration majority. Twelve articles of amendment to the Constitution were passed by this Congress and sent to the states for ratification; the ten ratified as additions to the Constitution on December 15, 1791, are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, with an additional amendment ratified more than two centuries later to become the Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The Australian referendum of 12 December 1906 approved an amendment to the Australian constitution related to the terms of office of federal senators. Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration Bill 1906, which after being approved in the referendum received the royal assent on 3 April 1907. The amendment moved the date of the beginning of the term of members of the Senate from 1 January to 1 July so that elections to the federal House of Representatives and the Senate could occur simultaneously.
The 1894–95 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1894 and 1895, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The 1789 United States Senate election in New York was held in July 1789 to elect two U.S. senators to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate. It was the first such election, and before the actual election the New York State Legislature had to establish the proceedings how to elect the senators.
The 1804–05 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1804 and 1805, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The 1896–97 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1896 and 1897, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.
The 1856–57 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1856 and 1857, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.
The 1854–55 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1854 and 1855, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.
The 1868–69 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1868 and 1869, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.
The 1902–03 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1902 and 1903, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.
The 1842–43 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1842 and 1843, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.
The 1840–41 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1840 and 1841, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The 1820–21 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, corresponding with James Monroe's landslide re-election. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1820 and 1821, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.
The 1836–37 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1836 and 1837, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.
The 1832–33 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1832 and 1833, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.
the 1828–29 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these United States Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1913, senators were chosen by State legislature United States. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1828 and 1829, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The 1788–1789 United States Senate elections were the first U.S. Senate elections following the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. They coincided with the election of George Washington as the first president of the United States. As these elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures.
The 12th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from December 11, 1788, to March 3, 1789, during the twelfth year of George Clinton's governorship, in Albany.
The 13th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from July 6, 1789, to April 6, 1790, during the thirteenth year of George Clinton's governorship, first in Albany, then in New York City.