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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Jeff Sessions
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Richard C. Shelby
    First elected as a Democrat: 1986; re-elected: 1992; Changed Party affiliation to Republican: 9 November 1994; re-elected as a Republican: 1998, 2004.
    [also served in the U.S. House- elected: 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984 as a Democrat]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Ted Stevens
    Appointed by Governor Walter J. Hickel (Republican) on 24 December 1968, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Senator E. L. Bartlett (Democrat): 11 December 1968; elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 1970; elected to first full term: 1972; re-elected: 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996; 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski
    Appointed by Governor Frank H. Murkowski (Republican) on 20 December 2002, to fill vacancy left by the resignation of her father, the same Frank H. Murkowski, when he resigned to become Governor of the State on 2 December 2002. First elected: 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Jon L. Kyl
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1994; re-elected 2000
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 12 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Leans Republican - Republican Senator Jon L. Kyl

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

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

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

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator A. Wayne Allard
    First elected: 1996; re-elected 2002
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1990, 1992, 1994]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

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

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

    Class 3 Republican Senator Mel Martinez
    First elected: 2004
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Johnny Isakson
    First elected: 2004.
    (also served in U.S. House- first elected in a special election [to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Congressman Newt Gingrich]: 1999; re-elected: 2000, 2002.)
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Larry E. Craig
    First elected: 1990; re-elected: 1996; 2002
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Mike Crapo
    First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004.
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1992, 1994, 1996]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Richard G. Lugar
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1976; re-elected: 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 2 May 2006 Primary
     Polls: Republican Senator Richard G. Lugar

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

    Class 3 Republican Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley
    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

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Pat Roberts
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Samuel D. "Sam" Brownback
    First elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 1996 [held to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Robert J. Dole: 11 June 1996- which Sheila Frahm (Republican) had been appointed by Governor Bill Graves (Republican) to fill, 11 June 1996]; elected to a full term: 1998, re-elected: 2004.
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1994]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Mitch McConnell
    First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Jim Bunning
    First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004.
    [also served in U.S. House-elected: 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 3 Republican Senator David Vitter
    First elected: 2004.
    (also served in U.S. House- first elected in a special election [to fill the seat vacated by Congressman Bob Livingston]: 1999; re-elected: 2000, 2002.)
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Olympia J. Snowe
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1994; re-elected 2000
    [also served in U.S. House-elected: 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 13 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Republican Senator Olympia J. Snowe

    Class 2 Republican Senator Susan M. Collins
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

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

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

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Norm Coleman
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Trent Lott
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1988; re-elected: 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 6 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Republican Senator Trent Lott

    Class 2 Republican Senator Thad Cochran
    First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator James Matthes "Jim" Talent
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 8 August 2006 Primary
     Polls: Toss-up - Republican Senator James Matthes "Jim" Talent vs. Democratic Auditor Claire C. McCaskill

    Class 3 Republican Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond
    First elected: 1986; re-elected: 1992, 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Conrad Burns
    First elected: 1988; re-elected: 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 6 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Leans Democratic - WATCH - Possible party switch - Republican Senator Conrad Burns vs. Democratic Jon Tester

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Chuck Hagel
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator John Eric Ensign
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 2000
    [also served in U.S. House- elected: 1994, 1996]
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 15 August 2006 Primary
     Polls: Republican Senator John Eric Ensign

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator John E. Sununu
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Judd Gregg
    First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Pete V. Domenici
    First elected: 1972; re-elected: 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Elizabeth H. Dole
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Richard M. Burr
    First elected: 2004.
    (also served in U.S. House- first elected: 1994; re-elected: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002.)
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Richard Michael "Mike" DeWine
    First elected: 1994; re-elected 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 2 May 2006 Primary
     Polls: Leans Democratic - WATCH - Currently Republican, likely to switch parties. Republican Senator Richard Michael "Mike" DeWine vs. Democratic Congressman Sherrod Brown

    Class 3 Republican Senator George V. Voinovich
    First elected: 1998; re-elected: 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator James M. Inhofe
    First elected to fill out the term in a Special Election: 1994 [held to fill the impending vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator David L. Boren (Democrat): effective, 15 November 1994 but announced before the 1994 Oklahoma state/local Primary in August 1994, allowing for this Special Election to take place; elected to a full term: 1996; re-elected 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Tom Coburn
    First elected: 2004.
    (also served in U.S. House- first elected: 1994; re-elected: 1996, 1998.)
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Gordon H. Smith
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Richard J. "Rick" Santorum
    First elected: 1994; re-elected 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 16 May 2006 Primary
     Polls: Leans Democratic - WATCH - Likely to switch parties. Republican Senator Richard J. "Rick" Santorum vs. Democratic Treasurer Robert P. "Bob" Casey, Jr.

    Class 3 Republican Senator Arlen Specter
    First elected: 1980; re-elected: 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
    16 February 2005: Diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Lincoln D. Chafee
    Appointed by Governor Lincoln C. Almond (Republican) on 2 November 1999, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Senator John H. Chafee (Republican): 24 October 1999; elected to first full term 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 12 September 2006 Primary
     Polls: Toss-up - Leans slightly Democratic. Republican Senator Lincoln D. Chafee vs. Democratic Sheldon Whitehouse, II

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

    Class 2 Republican Senator Lindsey Graham
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    Class 3 Republican Senator Jim DeMint
    First elected: 2004.
    (also served in U.S. House- first elected: 1998; re-elected: 2000, 2002)
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 3 Republican Senator John Thune
    First elected: 2004.
    (also served in U.S. House- first elected: 1996; re-elected: 1998, 2000. Unsuccessful candidate for Senate 2002.)
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Open
    Republican Senator William H. "Bill" Frist
    First elected: 1994; re-elected 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Open Seat - 9 March 2005: Media reports state that Senator Frist will announce that he is not a candidate for re-election in 2006.
     Polls: Toss-up - Currently Republican. Leans slightly Republican. Republican Robert P. "Bob" Corker, Jr. vs. Democratic Congressman Harold E. Ford, Jr.
     ** Open Seat (no incumbent) **

    Class 2 Republican Senator Lamar Alexander
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected to finish out the term in a Special Election: 1 May 1993- and necessary subsequent Runoff: 5 June 1993 [held to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. (Democrat): 20 January 1993- which Robert Krueger had been appointed by Governor Ann W. Richards (Democrat) to fill, 21 January 1993]; elected to full term: 1994; re-elected 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 7 March 2006 Primary
     Polls: Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

    Class 2 Republican Senator John Cornyn
    First elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Orrin G. Hatch
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1976; re-elected: 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 27 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Republican Senator Orrin G. Hatch

    Class 3 Republican Senator Robert F. Bennett
    First elected: 1992; re-elected: 1998, 2004.
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator George F. Allen
    First elected: 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 13 June 2006 Primary
     Polls: Toss-up - Leans slightly Republican. Republican Senator George F. Allen vs. Democratic James H. "Jim" Webb, Jr.

    Class 2 Republican Senator John W. Warner
    First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

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

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

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

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

    Class 1
    Seat up for election
    Republican Senator Craig L. Thomas
    • Re-elected Tuesday 7 November 2006
    First elected: 1994; re-elected 2000
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 7 November 2006
    Renominated - 22 August 2006 Primary
     Polls: Republican Senator Craig L. Thomas

    Class 2 Republican Senator Michael B. "Mike" Enzi
    First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002
    Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008

    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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