| The Green Papers: 2026 General Election |
![]() |
119th Congress Senate Seats by State |
||
|
|||
| Colorado 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator John W. Hickenlooper Previously served as Colorado Governor, first elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 2020 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Renominated |
|||
FEC S6CO00499; 30 Jun 26; Tot $979,215; Dsb $835,706 |
|||||
| Democratic | Senator John W. Hickenlooper 21 August 2024: "I'm only going to do two terms. I said it first here. Two-term limit. Oath of conscience." FEC S0CO00575; 30 Jun 26; Tot $8,119,380; Dsb $7,471,143 |
||||
| Republican | state Senator Mark Baisley FEC S6CO00507; 30 Jun 26; Tot $138,147; Dsb $88,913 |
||||
9 March 2026: Republican Petition Withdrawn. 11 April 2026: Did not receive 30% support at the Colorado Republican Party State Assembly. 13 April 2026: Accepted the Constitution Party nomination. FEC S6CO00515; 10 Jun 26; Tot $31,227; Dsb $31,227 |
|||||
| Libertarian | Blake Huber | ||||
| Approval Voting | Chris Baum | ||||
| Forward Party | Robert "Bob" Chew FEC S6CO00549 or S6CO00556 FEC S6CO00549; 30 Jun 26; Tot $1,270,007; Dsb $225,649 |
||||
| Unity | Adam Withrow US Senate or US House CD 3 FEC S6CO00564 |
||||
FEC S4CO00452 |
|||||
FEC S6CO00390 |
|||||
1 June 2026: Withdrawn |
|||||
FEC S6CO00432; 31 Mar 26; Tot $4,545; Dsb $3,385 |
|||||
| Delaware 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Christopher A. "Chris" Coons First elected in a special election: 2010 (to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Joe Biden [Democrat] in January 2009 in order to accede to the Vice-Presidency of the United States; he replaces Senator Edward E. "Ted" Kaufman [Democrat] who had been appointed by the Governor of DELAWARE to temporarily fill the vacancy.). Re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
|||
| Democratic | Jeffery Ryan Appelhans FEC S6DE00263 |
||||
| Democratic | Jeffery Ryan "Jeff" Applehans | ||||
FEC S6DE00156; 31 Dec 25; Tot $22,356; Dsb $13,165 |
|||||
| Democratic | Senator Christopher A. "Chris" Coons FEC S0DE00092; 30 Jun 26; Tot $3,940,137; Dsb $1,419,652 |
||||
| Democratic | Eric Anthony "E. No-Trump" Hansen FEC S6DE00271 or S4DE00094 FEC S6DE00271 |
||||
| Democratic | Mary A. Louve FEC S6DE00230 |
||||
FEC S6DE00222 |
|||||
FEC S6DE00214 |
|||||
| Republican | Michael S. "Mike" Katz FEC S6DE00206; 30 Jun 26; Tot $70,152; Dsb $32,148 |
||||
| Republican | John Shulli FEC S6DE00198; 30 Jun 26; Tot $105,295; Dsb $59,183 |
||||
| Independent | Dexter Bland FEC S6DE00164 |
||||
| Georgia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Thomas Jonathan "Jon" Ossoff First elected: 5 January 2021 (regular runoff election) Seat up for regular election: Friday 6 November 2026 Renominated |
|||
| Democratic | Senator Thomas Jonathan "Jon" Ossoff FEC S8GA00180; 30 Jun 26; Tot $77,279,766; Dsb $39,682,882 |
||||
8 May 2025: Candidate for the Senate Class 2 Seat in 2026. Member of Congress Carter is not related to the late President Jimmy Carter. FEC S6GA00374; 30 Jun 26; Tot $7,300,243; Dsb $10,259,563 |
|||||
| Republican | Member of Congress Michael Allen "Mike" Collins, Jr. Proceeds to and won 16 June Runoff 28 July 2025: Member of Congress Collins, CD 10, declares his candidacy for US Senate. FEC S6GA00390; 30 Jun 26; Tot $7,409,350; Dsb $5,932,539 |
||||
FEC S4GA11202 |
|||||
Proceeds to 16 June Runoff FEC S6GA00408; 30 Jun 26; Tot $4,725,351; Dsb $4,374,741 |
|||||
FEC S2GA00282; 31 Mar 26; Tot $36,144; Dsb $23,433 |
|||||
FEC S4GA11368 |
|||||
FEC S6GA00275 |
|||||
| Write-in; (Independent) | Elbert "Al" Bartell FEC S6GA00317 |
||||
| Illinois 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator Richard J. "Dick" Durbin Served in U.S. House- elected: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Open Seat - 23 April 2025: "...I am announcing today that I will not be seeking reelection at the end of my term...." |
|||
|   | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
FEC S6IL00656; 30 Jun 26; Tot $372,718; Dsb $372,618 |
|||||
aka Awisi Quartey Bustos FEC S6IL00565; 31 Mar 26; Tot $42,029; Dsb $46,454 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00623; 30 Jun 26; Tot $124,404; Dsb $111,840 |
|||||
6 May 2025: Candidate for the US Senate Class 2 seat in 2026. FEC S6IL00474; 30 Jun 26; Tot $3,507,919; Dsb $3,477,782 |
|||||
7 May 2025: Candidate for the US Senate Class 2 seat in 2026. FEC S6IL00482; 30 Jun 26; Tot $31,558,603; Dsb $31,484,015 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00649; 30 Jun 26; Tot $21,976; Dsb $20,614 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00581; 30 Jun 26; Tot $139,011; Dsb $149,062 |
|||||
| Democratic | Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton Running for the US Senate Class 2 seat in 2026. FEC S6IL00458; 30 Jun 26; Tot $5,906,599; Dsb $4,798,641 |
||||
FEC S6IL00409; 31 Mar 26; Tot $17,643; Dsb $17,459 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00490; 14 Apr 26; Tot $13,472; Dsb $12,643 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00466; 27 Jul 26; Tot $202,000; Dsb $201,973 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00672; 30 Jun 26; Tot $1,308,510; Dsb $1,305,141 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00540; 09 Apr 26; Tot $24,715; Dsb $22,830 |
|||||
FEC S2IL00234 |
|||||
| Republican | Donald R. "Don" Tracy FEC S6IL00615; 30 Jun 26; Tot $2,459,890; Dsb $947,466 |
||||
| American Center (IL) | Whitfield Harrington, Jr. Intending to form a new Illinois party known as the American Center Party. This party is not aligned with any other party. FEC S6IL00680; 30 Jun 26; Tot $100,702; Dsb $96,951 |
||||
FEC H4IL10080 |
|||||
14 July 2026: Removed FEC S6IL00557 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00698; 30 Apr 26; Tot $6,021; Dsb $33 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00441 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00417 |
|||||
FEC S6IL00607; 14 Apr 26; Tot $59,061; Dsb $55,779 |
|||||
| Massachusetts 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Edward John "Ed" Markey First elected in a Special Election: 25 June 2013 (re: resignation of Senator John Forbes Kerry (Democratic) to become Secretary of State); re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
|||
| Democratic | Senator Edward John "Ed" Markey FEC S4MA00028; 30 Jun 26; Tot $4,848,657; Dsb $4,431,727 |
||||
| Democratic | Member of Congress Seth W. Moulton 15 March 2025: Candidate for US Senate Class 2 in 2026. "... I'm running for US Senate in Massachusetts." FEC S6MA00296; 30 Jun 26; Tot $5,651,172; Dsb $4,886,639 |
||||
| Republican | John Deaton FEC S6MA00304; 30 Jun 26; Tot $1,498,561; Dsb $771,958 |
||||
| American Independent | Philip Peter Devincentis, Jr. FEC S6MA00247 |
||||
| Socialism and Liberation | Joseph "Joe" Tache FEC S6MA00288; 30 Jun 26; Tot $147,751; Dsb $116,835 |
||||
| Independent | Shiva Ayyadurai FEC S8MA00268; 30 Jun 26; Tot $21,847; Dsb $19,562 |
||||
| Independent; (Republican) | former West Springfield Town Council Member Nathan Alexander Bech FEC S6MA00270; 30 Jun 26; Tot $80,010; Dsb $56,107 |
||||
| Independent | Morgan Gifford Dawicki FEC S6MA00262; 30 Jun 26; Tot $16,498; Dsb $7,743 |
||||
| Michigan 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator Gary C. Peters Previously served in the U.S. House: 2009-2015. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 2014; re-elected: 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Open Seat - 28 January 2025: Senator Peters will not seek re-election. "I believe now is time for me to ... turn over the reins." |
|||
|   | ** Open Seat (no incumbent) ** | ||||
| Democratic | Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed "Abdul" El-Sayed FEC S6MI00418; 15 Jul 26; Tot $14,528,336; Dsb $11,975,573 |
||||
7 July 2026: "Today, I'm announcing that I am suspending my campaign for United States Senate." Remains on the ballot. FEC S6MI00392; 15 Jul 26; Tot $11,386,720; Dsb $9,519,089 |
|||||
22 April 2025: Announced her candidacy for the US Senate Class 2 seat. Member of Congress CD 11. FEC S6MI00426; 15 Jul 26; Tot $11,884,632; Dsb $9,091,338 |
|||||
| Republican | former Member of Congress Michael J. "Mike" Rogers First elected to the US House: 2000; reelected: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012; not a candidate for reelection: 2014; unsuccessful candidate for US Senate: 2024. FEC S4MI00595; 15 Jul 26; Tot $10,898,177; Dsb $6,680,643 |
||||
| Green | Douglas Philip "Doug" Marsh FEC S4MI00512 |
||||
| Libertarian | Lydia Lynn Christensen FEC S6MI00442 |
||||
| U.S. Taxpayers | Timothy E. "Tim" Long FEC S6MI00566 |
||||
FEC S6MI00533 |
|||||
FEC S6MI00475 |
|||||
FEC S8MI00422 |
|||||
FEC S6MI00509; 31 Mar 26; Tot $1,000; Dsb $220 |
|||||
| Minnesota 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator Tina Flint Smith Appointed: 13 December 2017 [re: resignation of Senator Al Franken (Democratic)]; first elected in a Special Election: 2018, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Open Seat - 13 February 2025: Senator Smith will not seek re-election: "This job has been the honor of a lifetime .... Thank you so much, Minnesota." |
|||
| Democratic-Farmer Labor | Kurt Michael Anderson | ||||
| Democratic-Farmer Labor | Member of Congress Angela Dawn "Angie" Craig 29 April 2025: Announced her candidacy for the US Senate Class 2 Seat in 2026. FEC S6MN00499; 22 Jul 26; Tot $12,746,618; Dsb $9,179,437 |
||||
| Democratic-Farmer Labor | Lieutenant Governor Margaret "Peggy" Flanagan FEC S6MN00440; 22 Jul 26; Tot $6,516,273; Dsb $5,457,669 |
||||
| Democratic-Farmer Labor | George H. Kalberer | ||||
| Democratic-Farmer Labor | Peter John Murgic | ||||
| Democratic-Farmer Labor | Billy Nord FEC S6MN00473 |
||||
| Republican | Bob "Again" Carney | ||||
| Republican | Cynthia Gail | ||||
| Republican | Ahmad R. "Raafat" Hassan | ||||
| Republican | Joyce Lacey | ||||
| Republican | Patrick D. Munro | ||||
| Republican | Adam Schwarze FEC S6MN00457; 22 Jul 26; Tot $1,439,561; Dsb $1,255,744 |
||||
| Republican | Michele Tafoya FEC S6MN00556; 22 Jul 26; Tot $5,292,553; Dsb $3,959,487 |
||||
| Republican | Tom Weiler FEC S6MN00515; 22 Jul 26; Tot $220,514; Dsb $100,735 |
||||
| Republican | Royce White FEC S4MN00502; 22 Jul 26; Tot $661,620; Dsb $764,958 |
||||
| Libertarian | Rebecca Whiting FEC S6MN00572; 22 Jul 26; Tot $1,257; Dsb $0 |
||||
| Independent; (Republican) | Marisa Simonetti FEC S6MN00481 |
||||
FEC S6MN00564 |
|||||
| New Hampshire 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 Open |
Democratic | Senator Jeanne Shaheen First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Open Seat - 12 March 2025: Announced she will not run for re-election: "... It was a difficult decision, made more difficult by the current environment in the country ...." |
|||
| Democratic | David "Dave" Jarvis | ||||
| Democratic | Karishma Manzur FEC S6NH00182; 30 Jun 26; Tot $206,753; Dsb $157,755 |
||||
| Democratic | Member of Congress Christopher C. "Chris" Pappas Congressional District 1 FEC S6NH00141; 30 Jun 26; Tot $13,371,607; Dsb $8,595,871 |
||||
| Democratic | Maxwell Leavy Saal FEC S6NH00224 |
||||
| Democratic | John Vail | ||||
| Republican | Tom Alciere | ||||
| Republican | former Massachusetts Senator Scott P. Brown First elected to the Massachusetts United States Senate Seat in a special election [to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Edward M. Kennedy]: 19 January 2010, served from 4 February 2010 to 3 January 2013; unsuccessful candidate for reelection: 2012; unsuccessful candidate for election to the New Hampshire United States Senate Seat: 2014. FEC S6NH00166; 30 Jun 26; Tot $1,943,325; Dsb $1,207,514 |
||||
| Republican | Sky Danley | ||||
| Republican | Andy Martin FEC S4NH00096 |
||||
| Republican | Mary Maxwell | ||||
| Republican | Richard A. McMenamon, II | ||||
| Republican | Sabrina Ann Smith | ||||
| Republican | former Senator John E. Sununu First elected to the House of Representatives: 1996, re-elected: 1998, 2000; elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002; unsuccessful candidate for reelection: 2008. FEC S6NH00208; 30 Jun 26; Tot $3,662,252; Dsb $989,605 |
||||
Disqualified. Appealing Day v New Hampshire Secretary of State, 1:26cv-499. Issue concerning voter registration residential address. Collected 5,000 petition signatures and 3,000 needed. |
|||||
Senate? or CD1? FEC S6NH00158; 30 Jun 25; Tot $4,463; Dsb $3,227 |
|||||
| Independent | Tim Harris | ||||
| Independent; (Constitution) | Edmond J. Laplante, Jr. FEC S2NH00223 |
||||
| Independent | Jeanne Logan Morrow | ||||
| Independent | Christine Lopez | ||||
| New Jersey 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Cory A. Booker First elected: 16 October 2013 in a Special Election re: passing of Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (Democratic). Re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Renominated |
|||
| Democratic | Senator Cory A. Booker FEC S4NJ00185; 30 Jun 26; Tot $18,869,341; Dsb $7,000,887 |
||||
FEC S6NJ00438; 30 Jun 26; Tot $178,219; Dsb $168,299 |
|||||
| Republican | former Tabernacle Mayor Justin Michael Murphy FEC S4NJ00532; 30 Jun 26; Tot $27,316; Dsb $26,297 |
||||
FEC S6NJ00420; 14 Jul 26; Tot $27,190; Dsb $27,190 |
|||||
FEC S6NJ00412; 30 Jun 26; Tot $48,322; Dsb $43,688 |
|||||
| Socialist Workers Party | Joanne Kuniansky | ||||
FEC S4NJ00342 |
|||||
| Independent | Veronica Fernandez END THE CORRUPTION! FEC S0NJ00258 |
||||
FEC S6NJ00446 |
|||||
Party: American Supreme Order FEC S6NJ00370 |
|||||
Slogan: TOGETHER FOR NJ FEC S6NJ00396 |
|||||
| New Mexico 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Ben Ray Luján Previously served in the U.S. House, first elected: 2008, re-elected: 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018; first elected to the U.S. Senate: 2020 Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Renominated |
|||
FEC S6NM01145; 30 Jun 26; Tot $32,743; Dsb $32,560 |
|||||
| Democratic | Senator Ben Ray Luján FEC S0NM00058; 30 Jun 26; Tot $5,626,629; Dsb $2,443,668 |
||||
| Republican | Larry E. "Lead" Marker 2 June 2026: Won the primary as a write-in FEC S6NM01186; 30 Jun 26; Tot $33,525; Dsb $21,675 |
||||
25 June 2026: Insufficient petition signatures. |
|||||
FEC S6NM01194 |
|||||
FEC S6NM01152 |
|||||
30 June 2026: Disqualified FEC S6NM01160 |
|||||
Jewish/Christian National FEC S6NM01137 |
|||||
| 1 February 2022: Senator Ben Ray Luján (Democratic) suffered a stroke and is expected to make a full recovery. | |||||
| 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; re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Renominated |
|||
| Democratic | Senator Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley FEC S8OR00207; 30 Jun 26; Tot $4,540,974; Dsb $1,979,569 |
||||
FEC S6OR05200 |
|||||
FEC S4OR00156; 30 Jun 26; Tot $10,577; Dsb $11,446 |
|||||
FEC S6OR05184 |
|||||
| Republican | state Senator David Brock Smith FEC S6OR05218; 30 Jun 26; Tot $120,760; Dsb $91,781 |
||||
| Progressive | Christopher Kenneth "Chris" Henry | ||||
| Rhode Island 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator John Francis "Jack" Reed Previously served in the U.S. House: First elected: 1990, re-elected: 1992, 1994. First elected to the U.S. Senate: 1996; re-elected: 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 |
|||
| Democratic | Connor Francis Burbridge FEC S6RI00270; 30 Jun 26; Tot $18,753; Dsb $14,887 |
||||
| Democratic | Luis Daniel Muñoz FEC S6RI00304 |
||||
| Democratic | Senator John Francis "Jack" Reed FEC S6RI00163; 30 Jun 26; Tot $3,127,031; Dsb $1,072,461 |
||||
| Republican | Raymond Tyler "Ray" McKay FEC S4RI00051; 30 Jun 26; Tot $163,439; Dsb $161,032 |
||||
| Independent | Michael Anthony Bahry FEC S6RI00288; 30 Jun 26; Tot $5,050; Dsb $2,844 |
||||
FEC S6RI00254 |
|||||
| Virginia 6-year term. No Term Limit. Senate Electoral Classes | |||||
| Partisan Composition: 2 Democratic | |||||
| Class 2 |
Democratic | Senator Mark Robert Warner First elected: 2008; re-elected: 2014, 2020. Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026 Renominated |
|||
| Democratic | Senator Mark Robert Warner FEC S6VA00093; 15 Jul 26; Tot $17,889,335; Dsb $7,327,844 |
||||
FEC S6VA00143; 15 Jul 26; Tot $144,778; Dsb $128,837 |
|||||
| Republican | Bert K. Mizusawa FEC S8VA00321; 15 Jul 26; Tot $418,742; Dsb $328,750 |
||||
FEC S6VA00200; 15 Jul 26; Tot $97,045; Dsb $89,857 |
|||||
FEC H6VA09128 |
|||||
17 June 2026: Withdrew. FEC S6VA00218 |
|||||
| 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 | |
| Republican | |
| Major Third Parties | |
| American Center (IL) | |
| Constitution | |
| Green | |
| Libertarian | |
| U.S. Taxpayers | |
| Other Third Parties | |
| Alaskan | |
| American Independent | |
| Approval Voting | |
| Federalist | |
| Forward Party | |
| Independence | |
| Kentucky | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | |
| Socialism and Liberation | |
| Progressive | |
| Socialist Workers Party | |
| Unity | |
| Independents | |
| | |
| Decline to State | |
| Independent | |
| No Party | |
| No Party Affiliation | |
| None | |
| Nonpartisan | |
| Other | |
| Unaffiliated | |
| Undeclared | |
| Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable | |
| Not readily classifiable | |
| Write-in | |
| 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. When available, we post each candidate's FEC identification number, the date of their most recently filed Report of Receipts and Disbursements, their "Tot" [Total Receipts (contributions received or what came in: FEC Form 3, Line 16, Column B)] and their "Dsb" [Total Disbursements (expenditures or what was spent: FEC Form 3, Line 23, Column B)]. A link is provided to the Federal Election Commission's Summary Report for those who might wish to explore the details. If a candidate raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not subject to FEC reporting requirements. Senate ClassClass 1 seats begin their terms at noon on 3 January 2019 and end their terms on 3 January 2025. The next regular election for these seats is in 5 November 2024. 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. |
|