Election of Senators
Representation in the Senate consists of 2 members per state, regardless of a state's population. Its members serve for 6-year terms and then are up for reelection. Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution divides the Senate into three groups. Every 2 years, one of the three groups (one-third of the Senate) is up for reelection. Let's take an example:
In order to be elected to the Senate, there are some requirements a candidate must meet. These qualifications are established in Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution. A candidate must be:
Many states hold elections to decide which candidates will be on the ballot in the November general election. There can be three types of candidates on a ballot:
If a candidate is not opposed then there is no need for a primary and his/her name is automatically placed on the November ballot. The candidate who receives the most votes wins the election.
Before 1913, senators were chosen by their state legislatures, not the people. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution states that senators are to be elected by the people they represent.
Reprinted from Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids