The Seventeenth Amendment

"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."

The United States Senate will have two Senators representing each state for six years, elected by the citizens. These electors must have the same qualifications of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures. 

If any Senator is no longer able to serve, the executive authority of that state can issue a writ of election to nominate a replacement temporarily, until the people fill the vacancy by election.

The concept of the people electing Senators sounds great at first glance. It gives Americans the idea that they have control over the federal government, however many people are in favor of repealing the 17th amendment. Firstly, it is seen as unfair to have each state represented by the same amount of senators despite population. Secondly, the House was supposed to represent the people and the Senate was supposed to represent states as states, not the people in those states. People also argue that this amendment took away the ability of state legislatures to have a say in national-level policy. 

This debate has been around since the amendment was first introduced. The Republicans that introduced and pushed for the 17th Amendment argued that the cure for the republic’s problems was more democracy. The other side argued that the original purpose of the U.S. Senate was to protect the sovereignty of the states.

 "Election of senators by the people: If United States Senators are elected by the people instead of by the legislators the people should be permitted to vote. The constitutional method of electing senators has worked well for one hundred and twenty-two years. Why experiment?" Speech of Hon. Chauncey M. Depew of New York in the Senate of the United States Tuesday, January 24, 1911.