The founders created the Electoral College to balance the influence of populous states in presidential elections and ensure that smaller states still had a significant voice. By having senators chosen by state legislatures, they aimed to reinforce the federal structure of government, ensuring that states retained authority and representation at the national level. This design reflected their concerns about direct democracy and the potential for majority tyranny, promoting a system that encouraged deliberation and compromise.
The 17th Amendment, ratified in 1913, changed the electoral process by allowing for the direct election of Senators. Prior to this amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures. The 17th Amendment extended voting rights by giving citizens the power to directly elect their Senators, instead of indirectly through state legislatures.
Senators were indirectly elected by state legislatures and served longer terms
They were selected by national legislatures
state legislatures
state legislatures
The framers entrusted the selection of the US senators to the state legislatures. Today they are selected through a formal vote by the citizens within the state.
From 1788 to 1912, U. S. Senators were elected by their state legislatures.
Early in the history of the United States, US Senators were elected by their state legislatures. This was seen as one of the important differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives. This method of election appeared in Article 1, Section 3 of the US Constitution. Direct election of US Senators became the norm in all states during the 20th century with the passage of the 17th amendment in 1913.
Senators.
Legislatures
Two. Each state has two senators regardless of the number of electoral votes.
The Constitution allowed the state legislatures to determine how their states' Senators would be chosen. In the early days after the Constitution was ratified, legislatures often chose the Senators themselves. However, as people began to demand it, many legislatures gave the voters the right to choose their Senators even before the federal Constitution required them to do so.