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    United States Senate

    From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 14 min

    The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the House of Representatives.

    Click on the map below to find your state's congressional delegation.


    https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_United_States_Senators_from_STATE

    117th Congress[edit]

    Partisan breakdown[edit]

    The following chart shows the partisan balance in the Senate.

    Partisan composition, U.S. Senate
    117th Congress
    Party Members
    Democratic 48
    Republican 50
    Independent 2[1]
    Vacancies 0
    Total 100


    Leadership[edit]

    See also: 117th United States Congress

    Constitutionally mandated officers[edit]

    • President of the Senate: The vice president of the United States is also the president of the Senate. While they cannot normally vote on Senate matters, they preside over the Senate and act as a tie-breaker. They also receive and announce the tally of the electoral college vote for president and vice president before the Senate.[2]
    • President Pro Tempore: Fills in for the president of the Senate when they are absent. They are also the third in the line of succession for the presidency. In recent years the role has largely been given to popular senators from the majority party.[3]

    Political leaders[edit]

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D)
    • Political leaders include the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, as well as the Majority Whip and the Minority Whip.[4]

    Elected Senate officers[edit]

    • The Chaplain: The Senate Chaplain provides spiritual services and counseling to Senate members, family and staff.[5]
    • Party Secretaries: Each party elects a party secretary to aid in communication of Senate business.[6]
    • The Secretary of the Senate: The secretary of the Senate performs a wide range of administrative duties, from record keeping, to procurement and information technology.[7]
    • The Sergeant at Arms: The Sergeant at Arms is the chief law enforcement officer of the Senate. They hold the jurisdiction to take senators to the Senate Chamber to form a quorum, enforce Senate rules, and even arrest the President of the United States if so ordered by the Senate. The Sergeant at Arms is in charge of maintaining security for the Senate Chamber, the Senate wing of the capital, and other Senate buildings. Finally, they keep the gavel used to start daily Senate business.[8]

    Special elections[edit]

    See also: Special elections to the 117th United States Congress (2021-2022)

    Special elections will be held during the 117th Congress to replace members of Congress who leave office for any reason.

    Senators[edit]

    Portal:Legislative Branch

    Members of the Senate are called senators. Each of the 50 states is given two Senate seats. Washington D.C. and territories, such as Puerto Rico and Guam, do not receive any delegates to the Senate.

    Each senator serves for a six-year term. There are no term limits for senators.[9]

    Qualifications[edit]

    According to the U.S. Constitution, senators must meet the following requirements:[10]

    • At least 30 years old
    • A U.S. citizen for at least nine years
    • A resident of the state he or she represents

    Additionally, all 50 states maintain requirements related to running for election. These filing requirements vary and can include:

    • A filing fee
    • A petition with a minimum number of valid signatures


    “ Section. 3
    Clause 1: The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
    Clause 2: Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.
    Clause 3: No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
    Clause 4: The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
    Clause 5: The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.
    Clause 6: The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
    Clause 7: Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.[11]     		”
    —The U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 3

    How has the average age of Congress changed?[edit]

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    Test your knowledge of the average age of members of Congress over time. Click "Play" on the widget below to begin.

    Committees[edit]

    There are 20 main committees and 68 subcommittees in the U.S. Senate. There are also several joint committees with the U.S. House of Representative. In general, the committees have legislative jurisdiction, with specific topics dealt out to the subcommittees. The majority party chairs and receives the most seats on committees. However, senators are limited to the number of committees they may take part in.

    Legislation goes through committees before it reaches the full Senate for debate and approval.[12]

    U.S. Senate[edit]


    Joint committees[edit]


    Elections[edit]

    See also: Classes of United States Senators

    Every two years, 33 or 34 seats in the U.S. Senate are up for election. Seats in the U.S. Senate for the purposes of determining the year of an election are defined as Class I, Class II, and Class III. Elections for these seats take place in this rotation:

    • 2018; 2024: Class I.
    • 2020; 2026: Class II.
    • 2016; 2022: Class III.

    2022[edit]

    See also: United States Senate elections, 2022

    Elections to the U.S. Senate will be held on November 8, 2022. A total of 34 of the 100 seats are up for regular election.

    2020[edit]

    See also: United States Senate elections, 2020

    Elections to the U.S. Senate were held on November 3, 2020. A total of 33 of the 100 seats were up for regular election.

    2018[edit]

    See also: United States Senate elections, 2018

    Heading into the election, the Republican Party held a 51 seat majority in the chamber. Democrats held 47 seats, and the remaining two were held by independents who caucus with the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party faced greater partisan risk in 2018, as they were defending 25 seats (two of which were held by independents), while eight seats up for election in 2018 were held by Republican incumbents by comparison. The Democratic Party had to defend seats in 10 states that supported Donald Trump (R) over Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016.


    U.S. Senate Partisan Breakdown
    Party As of November 5, 2018 After the 2018 Election
         Democratic Party 47 45
         Republican Party 51 53
         Independent 2 2
         Vacancies 0 0
    Total 100 100

    Battlegrounds[edit]

    The following map displays which Senate seats were up for election in 2018 and identifies those races that were considered battleground elections. Mouse over a state for more detailed information.

    Results of United States Senate battlegrounds, 2018
    State Incumbent Winner Partisan change Incumbent status
    Arizona Republican Party Jeff Flake Democratic Party Kyrsten Sinema Yes Incumbent didn't seek re-election
    California Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein No Won
    Florida Democratic Party Bill Nelson Republican Party Rick Scott Yes Lost
    Indiana Democratic Party Joe Donnelly Republican Party Mike Braun Yes Lost
    Minnesota (special) Democratic Party Tina Smith Democratic Party Tina Smith No Won
    Missouri Democratic Party Claire McCaskill Republican Party Josh Hawley Yes Lost
    Mississippi (special) Republican Party Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican Party Cindy Hyde-Smith No Won
    Montana Democratic Party Jon Tester Democratic Party Jon Tester No Won
    North Dakota Democratic Party Heidi Heitkamp Republican Party Kevin Cramer Yes Lost
    New Jersey Democratic Party Bob Menendez Democratic Party Bob Menendez No Won
    New Mexico Democratic Party Martin Heinrich Democratic Party Martin Heinrich No Won
    Nevada Republican Party Dean Heller Democratic Party Jacky Rosen Yes Lost
    Ohio Democratic Party Sherrod Brown Democratic Party Sherrod Brown No Won
    Tennessee Republican Party Bob Corker Republican Party Marsha Blackburn No Incumbent didn't seek re-election
    Texas Republican Party Ted Cruz Republican Party Ted Cruz No Won
    West Virginia Democratic Party Joe Manchin Democratic Party Joe Manchin No Won



    2016[edit]

    See also: United States Senate elections, 2016

    The 34 Class III U.S. Senate seats were up for election on November 8, 2016. Of those 34 seats, 24 were held by Republicans and 10 by Democratic senators. Democrats needed to take five seats to regain control of the majority that they lost in 2014. They fell short, ultimately picking up only two seats.

    U.S. Senate Partisan Breakdown
    Party As of November 2016 After the 2016 Election
         Democratic Party 44 46
         Republican Party 54 52
         Independent 2 2
    Total 100 100

    2014[edit]

    See also: United States Senate elections, 2014

    The 33 Class II U.S. Senate seats were up for election on November 4, 2014. Of those 33 seats, 20 were held by Democrats and 13 by Republican senators. Additionally, three special elections took place in 2014 to fill vacancies that occurred during the 113th Congress (Hawaii, Oklahoma and South Carolina). All three of these special elections took place on November 4, 2014, for a total of 36 Senate elections. Democrats lost nine seats and the majority in the Senate.

    U.S. Senate
    Dem. 44
    Rep. 54
    Ind. 2
    TOTAL 100
    UNDECIDED 0
    Click here for more details.
    U.S. Senate Partisan Breakdown
    Party As of 2014 Election After the 2014 Election
         Democratic Party 53 44
         Republican Party 45 54
         Independent 2 2
    Total 100 100

    2012[edit]

    See also: U.S. Senate elections, 2012

    Elections to the U.S. Senate were held on November 6, 2012. Of the 33 seats up for election, 23 were held by Democrats and 10 by Republicans. The Democratic Party retained control over the chamber, winning 25 of the 33 seats. With Republican candidates winning only eight seats, this was the worst performance by a major party since the 1950s.[13]

    U.S. Senate Partisan Breakdown
    Party As of November 2012 After the 2012 Election
         Democratic Party 51 53
         Republican Party 47 45
         Independent 2 2
    Total 100 100

    Wave elections (1918-2016)[edit]

    Ballotpedia-Wave Election Analysis Banner.png


    See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

    The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

    Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

    Applying this definition to four different election groups (U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governorships, and state legislatures) yields specific numbers of seats that Republicans needed to lose for 2018 to qualify as a wave election. Those are:

    • 48 U.S. House seats,
    • Seven U.S. Senate seats,
    • Seven gubernatorial seats, or
    • 494 state legislative seats.

    The midterm election results in 2018 met those levels in one category, as Democrats gained seven governorships. In congressional elections, Democrats had a net gain of 40 U.S. House seats while Republicans actually gained a net total of two U.S. Senate seats. Democrats gained a net 309 state legislative seats.

    Click here to read the full report.

    Analysis[edit]

    Salary[edit]

    As of 2022, most senators are paid $174,000 per year. Majority and minority leaders, as well as the president pro tempore, receive $193,400.[14]

    Some historical facts about the salary of U.S. Senate members:

    • In 1789, members of the Senate received $6 per diem[14]
    • In 1874, members of the Senate earned $5,000 per year[14]
    • In 1990, members of the Senate earned $98,400 per year[14]
    • From 2000-2006, the salary of a member of the U.S. Senate increased every year, going from $141,300-$165,200 in that time span.[14]

    Voting with the party[edit]

    OpenCongress is a website that tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of their party caucus. In May 2014, there were 51 Democrats and 45 Republicans tracked.

    Democrats:[15]

    • The average (mean) Democrat voted with the party approximately 95.0 percent of the team.
    • The average (median) Democrat voted with the party approximately 95.55 percent of the time.
    • The top Democrat voted with the party approximately 98.8 percent of the time.
    • The bottom Democrat voted with the party approximately 72.8 percent of the time.

    Republicans:[16]

    • The average (both mean & median) Republican voted with the party approximately 86.8 percent of the team.
    • The top Republican voted with the party approximately 94.9 percent of the time.
    • The bottom Republican voted with the party approximately 62.7 percent of the time.

    Net worth[edit]

    See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

    The average net worth of members of the Senate, based on data from OpenSecrets.org, is as follows:[17]

    Year # in Senate Reports Senate Average Senate Std Dev
    2010 116 $13,224,333 $34,978,652
    2009 116 $13,229,651 $35,913,577
    2008 110 $13,835,333. $38,866,085
    2007 106 $17,170,451 $49,007,497
    2006 107 $14,106,027 $44,182,270
    2005 101 $14,553,612 $41,993,697
    2004 105 $14,455,289 $41,653,112

    Note: Report numbers may reflect incoming and outgoing members of congress.

    116th Congress: Demographics[edit]

    The 116th Congress surpassed the 115th Congress as the most diverse Congress in the nation's history.

    The House and Senate both set records for female representation. The House has 102 women, comprising 23 percent of the chamber’s voting members. The Senate has 25 women, the greatest female representation in Senate history.[18][19]

    The 116th Congress also has the largest number of Blacks (55), Hispanics/Latin Americans (44), Asians/Pacific Islanders (15), and Native Americans (4), making up 22 percent of Congress. The 116th Congress also has 10 members who openly identify as LGBTQ.[20][19][21]

    The 116th Congress is slightly more religiously diverse than the 115th Congress. Four hundred and seventy-one members identify as Christian, 34 as Jewish, three as Muslim, three as Hindu, two as Buddhist, two as Unitarian Universalist, one as unaffiliated, and 18 declined to specify a religious affiliation when polled by Pew Research Center.[22]

    Current members[edit]

    Current senators[edit]

    The following is a simple list of the current members of the U.S. Senate:

    Alabama[edit]

    1. Richard Shelby
    2. Tommy Tuberville

    Alaska[edit]

    1. Daniel S. Sullivan
    2. Lisa Murkowski

    Arizona[edit]

    1. Kyrsten Sinema
    2. Mark Kelly

    Arkansas[edit]

    1. John Boozman
    2. Tom Cotton

    California[edit]

    1. Alex Padilla
    2. Dianne Feinstein

    Colorado[edit]

    1. John Hickenlooper
    2. Michael Bennet

    Connecticut[edit]

    1. Richard Blumenthal
    2. Chris Murphy (Connecticut)

    Delaware[edit]

    1. Tom Carper
    2. Chris Coons

    Florida[edit]

    1. Rick Scott
    2. Marco Rubio

    Georgia[edit]

    1. Jon Ossoff
    2. Raphael Warnock

    Hawaii[edit]

    1. Brian Schatz
    2. Mazie Hirono

    Idaho[edit]

    1. Jim Risch
    2. Mike Crapo

    Illinois[edit]

    1. Dick Durbin
    2. Tammy Duckworth

    Indiana[edit]

    1. Todd Young
    2. Mike Braun

    Iowa[edit]

    1. Joni Ernst
    2. Chuck Grassley

    Kansas[edit]

    1. Jerry Moran
    2. Roger Marshall

    Kentucky[edit]

    1. Mitch McConnell
    2. Rand Paul

    Louisiana[edit]

    1. Bill Cassidy
    2. John Neely Kennedy

    Maine[edit]

    1. Susan Collins (Maine)
    2. Angus King

    Maryland[edit]

    1. Ben Cardin
    2. Chris Van Hollen

    Massachusetts[edit]

    1. Edward Markey
    2. Elizabeth Warren

    Michigan[edit]

    1. Gary Peters
    2. Debbie Stabenow

    Minnesota[edit]

    1. Amy Klobuchar
    2. Tina Smith

    Mississippi[edit]

    1. Cindy Hyde-Smith
    2. Roger Wicker

    Missouri[edit]

    1. Roy Blunt
    2. Josh Hawley

    Montana[edit]

    1. Jon Tester
    2. Steve Daines

    Nebraska[edit]

    1. Deb Fischer
    2. Ben Sasse

    Nevada[edit]

    1. Catherine Cortez Masto
    2. Jacky Rosen

    New Hampshire[edit]

    1. Maggie Hassan
    2. Jeanne Shaheen

    New Jersey[edit]

    1. Bob Menendez Sr.
    2. Cory Booker

    New Mexico[edit]

    1. Martin Heinrich
    2. Ben Ray Luján

    New York[edit]

    1. Kirsten Gillibrand
    2. Chuck Schumer

    North Carolina[edit]

    1. Thom Tillis (North Carolina)
    2. Richard Burr

    North Dakota[edit]

    1. John Hoeven
    2. Kevin Cramer

    Ohio[edit]

    1. Rob Portman
    2. Sherrod Brown

    Oklahoma[edit]

    1. Jim Inhofe
    2. James Lankford

    Oregon[edit]

    1. Ron Wyden
    2. Jeff Merkley

    Pennsylvania[edit]

    1. Bob Casey Jr.
    2. Pat Toomey

    Rhode Island[edit]

    1. Jack Reed
    2. Sheldon Whitehouse

    South Carolina[edit]

    1. Lindsey Graham
    2. Tim Scott

    South Dakota[edit]

    1. Mike Rounds
    2. John Thune

    Tennessee[edit]

    1. Marsha Blackburn
    2. Bill Hagerty

    Texas[edit]

    1. John Cornyn
    2. Ted Cruz

    Utah[edit]

    1. Mike Lee (Utah)
    2. Mitt Romney

    Vermont[edit]

    1. Patrick Leahy (Vermont)
    2. Bernie Sanders

    Virginia[edit]

    1. Tim Kaine
    2. Mark Warner

    Washington[edit]

    1. Patty Murray
    2. Maria Cantwell

    West Virginia[edit]

    1. Joe Manchin III
    2. Shelley Moore Capito

    Wisconsin[edit]

    1. Ron Johnson (Wisconsin)
    2. Tammy Baldwin

    Wyoming[edit]

    1. Cynthia Lummis
    2. John Barrasso


    See also[edit]

    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. ↑ The two independents caucus with Democrats.
    2. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate)," April 12, 2012
    3. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "President Pro Tempore," July 9, 2012
    4. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "Senate Organization Chart for the 112th Congress," April 12, 2012
    5. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "Senate Chaplain," April 12, 2012
    6. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "Party Secretaries," April 12, 2012
    7. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "Secretary of the Senate," April 12, 2012
    8. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "Sergeant At Arms," April 12, 2012
    9. ↑ The U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 3
    10. ↑ U.S. Senate Official Website, "Learn," April 12, 2012
    11. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    12. ↑ The U.S. Senate, "About the Senate Committee System," October 7, 2014
    13. ↑ Salon.com, "The House GOP can’t be beat: It’s worse than gerrymandering," January 13, 2013
    14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 U.S. Senate, "Salaries," accessed May 29, 2012
    15. ↑ OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," archived March 5, 2016
    16. ↑ [https://web.archive.org/web/20160205004648/http://www.opencongress.org/people/votes_with_party/senate/republican OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," archived February 5, 2016
    17. ↑ OpenSecrets, "Personal Finances: Overview,"April 12, 2012
    18. ↑ Pew Research, "A record number of women will be serving in the new Congress," December 18, 2018
    19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Business Insider, "This one graphic shows how much more diverse the House of Representatives will become in January," December 16, 2018
    20. ↑ Politico, "Congress's incoming class is younger, bluer, and more diverse than ever," November 28, 2018
    21. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections presents our comprehensive guide to the 116th Congress members and districts," November 29, 2018
    22. ↑ Pew Research Center, "Faith on the Hill," January 3, 2019
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