The Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, proficed for United States Senators to be elected directly by the people rather than by their state legislators.
It reads:
"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.
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.
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."
In 1911, Senator Joseph Bristow from Kansas offered a resolution, proposing a constitutional amendment
the House passed it in 1913
constitutional convention
constitutional amendment [ 17 ]
17th amendment
Seventeenth Amendment
amendment to 17th amendment
The provisions of the seventeenth amendment were that the U.S. senators would be elected by the people.
Direct election of senators to Congress occurred because of the 17th constitutional amendment.
Direct election of senators
Secret ballots
NO
The 17th Amendment of the Constitution established direct election of United States Senators by popular vote. Prior to this amendment Senators were elected by state legislatures.
It established direct election of United States Senators by popular vote. The amendment supersedes Articles I and III, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which Senators were elected by state legislatures. It also alters the procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate, to be consistent with the method of election
The direct election of senators.
direct vote for senators by the voters
Seventeenth amendment
u.s. senators