U.S. Constitution · Amendment XVII · ratified 1913-04-08

Direct Election of Senators

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Cited in 1 Constitution Index grade this month.

2 public items cite this provision or its parts · 1 in October 2026 (last month: 0)

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Citations per week, last 12 weeks

The text

  1. Amendment XVII, Section 1 · Direct Election of Senators, section 1

    The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

  2. Amendment XVII, Section 2 · Direct Election of Senators, section 2

    When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

  3. Amendment XVII, Section 3 · Direct Election of Senators, section 3

    This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

National Archives transcription (public domain; original spelling and capitalization). archives.gov

In the founders’ words

  • “It is equally unnecessary to dilate on the appointment of senators by the State legislatures. Among the various modes which might have been devised for constituting this branch of the government, that which has been proposed by the convention is probably the most congenial with the public opinion.” James Madison, The Federalist No. 62 (1788-02-27)
  • “It is recommended by the double advantage of favoring a select appointment, and of giving to the State governments such an agency in the formation of the federal government as must secure the authority of the former, and may form a convenient link between the two systems.” James Madison, The Federalist No. 62 (1788-02-27)
  • “because he wished the Senate to consist of the most distinguished characters, distinguished for their rank in life and their weight of property, and bearing as strong a likeness to the British House of Lords as possible; and he thought such characters more likely to be selected by the State Legislatures, than in any other mode.” James Madison, Madison's Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention, June 7, 1787 (1787-06-07)

Public-domain primary sources, quoted word for word and checked against the linked text.

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roll-call votes (1)

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Cite this page

Values for America Constitution Explorer, https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution (text: National Archives transcription, public domain), Amendment XVII, https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution/amendment-17

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