Know Thy Government

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Friday Constitutional 2 - Article One, Sections 3 and 4

Now onward to Section Three, which deals primarily with the structure of the United States Senate.
Section Three
Clause One:

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof,3 for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

This clause is pretty straight forward, it sets out that each State shall have two Senators, and they serve for a term of six years. What is interesting to the Dog is that the Framers thought that it was important enough to make clear that each Senator would only ever have one vote. It must have been important to them, specifically in the Senate, as they did not use the same language when setting forth the rules for the House of Representatives.
Also notice that originally it was the State legislature that elected Senators not the public at large. In 1913 the 17th Amendment changed that to state that Senators would be elected by the people of the state. Historical fun fact, the State of Utah was the only state to vote against ratification. It was never subsequently ratified by that state.
Clause Two:

Immediately after they 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; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

In this clause the Constitution sets out the rules for the dividing the Senate in to the “classes” so that only one third of the Senate will face re-election at any given time. The Dog wonders how much political infighting went into the selection of each class as two thirds of those first Senators did not have a six year term but a two or four year one. As with Clause One the way that Senators are replaced has been changed by the 17th Amendment. In that amendment it directs the Governor of the state to hold an election to fill any vacant seat, but it allows the State legislature to give the Governor the power to appoint a temporary Senator until the seat is filled in an election that the Legislature determines the timing of.MORE