The Green Papers: 2006 Midterm Election
 
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htm 109th Congress
Senate Seats by State

This is a list of the current Senate seats and the incumbents occupying them.There are 33 Class 1 seats up for election in the year 2006.

There have been no deaths and 1 resignation and no changes re: party breakdown in the 109th Senate.

  • 17 January 2006- Senator Jon S. Corzine- Democrat- New Jersey (Class 1) resigned. Senator Corzine was elected Governor of New Jersey on 8 November 2005 and resigned his Senate seat upon taking the Oath of Office as Governor 17 January 2006.
  • 18 January 2006- Robert "Bob" Menendez- Democrat, a 7-term Congressman, was appointed to the Class 1 Senate seat from New Jersey by Governor Jon S. Corzine to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Corzine himself upon becoming Governor. This seat is up for election 7 November 2006.
  •   Alabama    Alaska    Arizona    Arkansas    California    Colorado    Connecticut    Delaware    Florida    Georgia    Hawaii    Idaho    Illinois    Indiana    Iowa    Kansas    Kentucky    Louisiana    Maine    Maryland    Massachusetts    Michigan    Minnesota    Mississippi    Missouri    Montana    Nebraska    Nevada    New Hampshire    New Jersey    New Mexico    New York    North Carolina    North Dakota    Ohio    Oklahoma    Oregon    Pennsylvania    Rhode Island    South Carolina    South Dakota    Tennessee    Texas    Utah    Vermont    Virginia    Washington    West Virginia    Wisconsin    Wyoming 

    Legislative Links     Senate Electoral Classes

               

    Alabama  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

    Alaska  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

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

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Mark Pryor
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln
    First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004.
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1992, 1994]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    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
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 6 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer
    First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Ken Salazar
    First elected: 2004
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Joseph I. "Joe" Lieberman
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1988; re-elected: 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Lost Primary / Still On Ballot - defeated for renomination as the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in 8 August Primary but qualified to run as an Independent in the General Election.
     Polls: Democratic Senator Joseph I. "Joe" Lieberman (running as an Independent)

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Christopher J. Dodd
    First elected: 1980; re-elected: 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004.
    [also served in U.S. House: elected 1974, 1976, 1978]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Thomas R. "Tom" Carper
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 2000
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990;
    elected Governor: 1992; re-elected: 1996]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 12 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Thomas R. "Tom" Carper

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
    First elected: 1972; re-elected: 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996; 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Bill Nelson
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 2000
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 5 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Bill Nelson

    Georgia  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Appointed by Governor John Waihee (Democrat) 16 May 1990, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Senator Spark M. Matsunaga (Democrat): 15 April 1990; elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 1990; elected to full term: 1994; re-elected 2000
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 23 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Daniel K. Inouye
    First elected: 1962; re-elected: 1968, 1974, 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004.
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1959 (Hawaii having just been admitted as a State to the Union), 1960]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

    Idaho  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Richard J. Durbin
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Barack Obama
    First elected: 2004
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Evan Bayh
    First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Tom Harkin
    First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996; 2002
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Kansas  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

    Kentucky  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Mary L. Landrieu
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Maine  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Open
    Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes
    First elected: 1976; re-elected: 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Open Seat - 11 March 2005: Announced retirement at the end of the current term.
     Polls: Leans Democratic - Democratic Congressman Benjamin L. "Ben" Cardin
     ** Open Seat (no incumbent) **

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Barbara A. Mikulski
    First elected: 1986; re-elected: 1992, 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 1962 [held to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator John F. Kennedy (Democrat): 22 December 1960- which Benjamin A. Smith II (Democrat) had been appointed by Governor Foster Furcolo (Democrat) to fill, 27 December 1960]; elected to first full term: 1964; re-elected: 1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 19 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy

    Class 2 Democratic Senator John F. Kerry
    First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 2000
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1996, 1998]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 8 August 2006 Primary
     Polls: Leans Democratic - Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Carl Levin
    First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Open
    Democratic Senator Mark Dayton
    First elected: 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Open Seat - 9 February 2005: Senator Dayton announces that he will not seek re-election.
     Polls: Leans Democratic - Democratic-Farmer Labor Amy Klobuchar
     ** Open Seat (no incumbent) **

    Mississippi  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

    Missouri  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Max Baucus
    First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator E. Benjamin "Ben" Nelson
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 9 May 2006 Primary
     Polls: Leans Democratic - Democratic Senator E. Benjamin "Ben" Nelson

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

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Harry Reid
    First elected: 1986; re-elected: 1992, 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    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
     
    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 election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 6 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Toss-up - Leans slightly Democratic - Democratic Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez vs. Republican Thomas H. Kean, Jr.

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Frank R. Lautenberg
    First elected: 2002
    Previously served in the Class 1 NJ Senate seat to which he was first elected: 1982 and re-elected: 1988, 1994-- was not a candidate for his Party's nomination for the Class 1 seat in 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Jesse F. "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr.
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1982; re-elected: 1988, 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 6 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Jesse F. "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr.

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 12 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Schumer
    First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

    North Carolina  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Kent Conrad
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected to the "Class 3" seat from the state: 1986; was not a candidate for re-election in the 3 November 1992 General Election; Elected to finish out the "Class 1" term in a Special Election: 4 December 1992 [held to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Quentin N. Burdick (Democrat): 8 September 1992- which Jocelyn B. Burdick (Democrat) had been appointed by Governor George Sinner (Democrat) to fill, 12 September 1992]; elected to a full term: 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 13 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Kent Conrad

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Byron L. Dorgan
    First elected: 1992; was induced to take the oath of office: 5 December 1992 when the seat became vacant upon outgoing Senator Kent Conrad (Democrat) having taken the oath of office for the "Class 1" seat from the state; re-elected: 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

    Ohio  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

    Oklahoma  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 3 Democratic Senator 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.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 2 Democratic Senator John F. "Jack" Reed
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    South Carolina  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 2 Democratic Senator Tim Johnson
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Tennessee  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

    Texas  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

    Utah  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

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

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy
    First elected: 1974; re-elected: 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 19 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Leans Democratic - Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Patty Murray
    First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Robert C. Byrd
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1958; re-elected: 1964, 1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 9 May 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Robert C. Byrd

    Class 2 Democratic Senator John D. "Jay" Rockefeller, IV
    First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Democratic Senator Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1988; re-elected: 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 12 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Democratic Senator Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl

    Class 3 Democratic Senator Russ Feingold
    First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

    Wyoming  6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes
    Partisan Composition: 2 Republican

    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
      Desert Greens
      Green
      Libertarian
      Progressive Party of Missouri
    Other Third Parties
      American Independent
      Concerned Citizens
      Conservative
      Constitution
      Independence
      Independent American
      Independent Greens
      Liberty Union
      Mountain
      Peace And Freedom
      Personal Choice
      Populist
      Right to Life
      Socialist Equality
      Socialist Party USA
      Socialist Workers Party
      U.S. Taxpayers
      Working Families
    Independents
      Connecticut For Lieberman
      Independent
      No Party Affiliation
      Unenrolled
    Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
      None of these candidates
      Scattering
      Write-in
     

    Notes

    Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from an election authority that this candidate is actually on the ballot.

    FEC indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary "Total Receipts" for candidates for Federal Office.


    Senate Class

    Class 1 seats begin their current terms at noon on 3 January 2001... next regular election for these seats is in 2006.
    Class 2 seats end their current terms at noon on 3 January 2003... next regular election for these seats is 2008.
    Class 3 seats end their current terms at noon on 3 January 2011... next regular election for these seats is 2010.

    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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