The Green Papers: 2009 General Election
 
Copyright www.flags.net/UNST.htm 111th Congress
Senate Seats by State

This is a list of the current Senate seats and the incumbents occupying them. 36 (34 Class 3 + 1 NEW YORK Class 1+ 1 DELAWARE Class 2) Senate Seats are up for election on 2 November 2010.

There have been 1 death, 4 resignations, and 1 change re: party breakdown in the 111th Senate.

  • 15 January 2009: Senator Roland W. Burris (Democratic, Illinois), appointed by embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich to temporarily fill the vacancy in this seat (pending the regular Election for this seat in November 2010) caused by the resignation of President-elect Barack H. Obama in mid-November 2008, is formally sworn in.
  • 15 January 2009: Senator and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden (Democrat, Delaware) resigns his Senate seat (to which he had been re-elected in the 4 November 2008 election).
  • 16 January 2009: Senator Ted Kaufman (Democrat, Delaware), appointed by Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner as Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden's temporary replacement (pending a Special Election in November 2010), is formally sworn in.
  • 20 January 2009: Senator Ken Salazar (Democrat, Colorado) resigned his Senate seat to become Secretary of the Interior in the Obama Administration.
  • 21 January 2009: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democrat, New York) resigned her Senate seat to become Secretary of State in the Obama Administration.
  • 22 January 2009: Senator Michael Bennet (Democrat, Colorado), appointed by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter as Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's temporary replacement, is formally sworn in.
  • 23 January 2009: Governor David Paterson of New York appoints Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand (Democrat: CD 20) to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hillary Rodham Clinton. (Mrs. Gillibrand was sworn in and took her seat on 27 January 2009)
  • 30 April 2009: Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania formally switched Parties from Republican to Democrat.
  • 30 June 2009: Senator Al Franken's (Democrat, Minnesota) contested 2008 election was resolved in his favor on 30 June 2009 by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
  • 10 September 2009: Florida Senator Mel Martinez (Republican), who was first elected in 2004, resigned on 9 September 2009. George LeMieux (Republican), who was selected as the replacement Senator on 28 August 2009 by Governor Charlie Crist, was sworn 10 September 2009. Mr. LeMieux will serve out the remainder of the term and does not plan to seek election. This Class 3 seat is up for election on Tuesday 2 November 2010.
  • 25 August 2009: Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy's (Democrat, Massachusetts) passed away from brain cancer at the age of 77. He was first elected in a Special Election in 1962.
  • 24 September 2009: Senator Paul G. Kirk, Jr.'s (Democrat, Massachusetts) was appointed by Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick to fill the vacancy caused by the passing of Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (Democrat). Senator Kirk was sworn on 25 September 2009.

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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: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 2 Democratic Senator Mark Begich
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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 Lunsford Pryor
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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 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
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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: 2 Democratic

Class 2 Democratic Senator Mark E. Udall
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

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

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
31 July 2009: Senator Dodd announced he has prostate cancer.

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
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990;
elected Governor: 1992; re-elected: 1996]
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator Edward E. "Ted" Kaufman
Appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr., effective 15 January 2009 after having been elected Vice President; appointed 15 January 2009 and sworn 16 January 2009
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Open Seat - Senator Kaufman has stated he will not run for election to the Senate in his own right.
Next regular election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Bill Nelson
First elected: 2000; re-elected 2006
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988]
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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 Democratic Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka
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, 2006
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988]
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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. "Dick" Durbin
First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994]
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

Class 3 Democratic Senator Roland W. Burris
Appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Barack Hussein Obama, effective 16 November 2008, after having been elected President of the United States; appointed 31 December 2008 and sworn 15 January 2009
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Open Seat - 10 July 2009: Announced that he will not seek election in 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 Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin
First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996; 2002, 2008
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982]
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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, 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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 Democratic Senator Benjamin L. "Ben" Cardin
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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 Democratic Senator Paul G. Kirk, Jr.
Appointed 24 September 2009 by Governor Deval L. Patrick to fill the vacancy caused by the 25 August 2009 passing of Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (Democrat). Sworn 25 September 2009.
Seat up for election: Tuesday 19 January 2010
Open Seat - Senator Kirk will not run for election to this office.
Special Primary to fill the seat: Tuesday 8 December 2009
Special Election: Tuesday 19 January 2010
Next regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator John F. Kerry
First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1996, 1998]
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator Carl Levin
First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator Al Franken
First elected: 2008 in a contested election resolved 30 June 2009 by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 1 Democratic Senator Claire C. McCaskill
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Jon Tester
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator Max Baucus
First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator E. Benjamin "Ben" Nelson
First elected: 2000; re-elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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

Class 3 Democratic Senator Harry Mason 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: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 2 Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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
 
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 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator Frank R. Lautenberg
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2008
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 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Jesse F. "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr.
First elected: 1982; re-elected: 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator Tom Udall
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand
appointed by Governor David Paterson to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation, on 21 January 2009, of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in order to enter upon her duties as U.S. Secretary of State. This appointee will serve pending a Special Election for this seat in 2010 for the remainder of the term ending 3 January 2013; Senator Gillibrand was appointed 23 January 2009 and sworn 27 January 2009
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
There will be a Special Election for this office in 2010. The next regular election thereafter for this seat is Tuesday 6 November 2012.

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: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 2 Democratic Senator Kay R. Hagan
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Kent Conrad
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, 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 3 Democratic Senator Byron Leslie 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: 1 Democratic, 1 Republican

Class 1 Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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: 2 Democratic

Class 2 Democratic Senator Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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.
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Robert P. "Bob" Casey, Jr.
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 3 Democratic Senator Arlen Specter
First elected: as a Republican 1980; re-elected: 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004; changed party affiliation to Democratic 30 April 2009.
Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010

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
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator John F. "Jack" Reed
First elected: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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; re-elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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 Democratic

Class 1 Democratic Senator James H. "Jim" Webb, Jr.
First elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator Mark Robert Warner
First elected: 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell
First elected: 2000; re-elected: 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

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 Democratic Senator Robert C. Byrd
First elected: 1958; re-elected: 1964, 1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 2 Democratic Senator John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller, IV
First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008
Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2014

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

Class 1 Democratic Senator Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl
First elected: 1988; re-elected: 1994, 2000, 2006
Seat up for election: Tuesday 6 November 2012

Class 3 Democratic Senator Russell D. "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
  Republican
Major Third Parties
  Libertarian
Other Third Parties
  Boston Tea
Independents
  Independent
  Independent Democrat
 

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 "Total Receipts" for candidates for Federal Office.


Senate Class

Class 1 seats end their current terms at noon on 3 January 2013... next regular election for these seats is in 6 November 2012.
Class 2 seats begin their current terms at noon on 3 January 2009... next regular election for these seats is 4 November 2014.
Class 3 seats end their current terms at noon on 3 January 2011... next regular election for these seats is 2 November 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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