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How Senators were first elected
The constitution was adopted and said that senators were to be picked or elected by the state legislatures.
https://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/17th-amendment -
House of representives use popular vote
The House of Representives were the first to make the motion to be elected by the popular vote, it didn't gain any considerable support until the senate election were having severl problems during the 19th century
https://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/17th-amendment -
John Stockton
The election of Senator John Stockton of New Jersey was contested on the grounds that he had been elected by a plurality rather than a majority in the state legislature. Stockton based his defense on the observation that not all states elected their senators in the same way, and presented a report that illustrated the inconsistency in state elections of senators.
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Direct_Election_Senators.htm -
Petition
Voters sent a petition to the House of Representatives for a popular election. Each year during that period, a constitutional amendment to elect senators by popular vote was proposed in Congress, but the Senate fiercely resisted change
http://constitution.laws.com/17th-amendment -
Trying to get it passed
The House of Representives passed several resloutions proposing a constitutional amendment for the direct election of senators. Each time the Senate refused to even take a vote -
Race Rider
They included a race rider meant to bar Federal intervention in cases of racial discrimination among voters. This would be done by vesting complete control of Senate elections in state governments. -
House Joint Resolution
House of Representives passed house joint resolution 39 proposing a constitutional amendment to elect senators by popular vote -
Passing by congress
From the 1911 event the senate had some ideas to change it a little bit so they changed what they wanted to. Then they passed it on to the House of Representives and they agreed with the senates change
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=58 -
Ratified
Over one year later the 17th amendment was ratified by 39 states out of the 50, Ariziona was the first state to ratified it
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=58 -
Repeal
Some states tried to repeal the 17th amendment because of some of the people they didnt like would be choosen
