Seventeenth Amendment

American

noun

an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, providing for the election of two U.S. senators from each state by popular vote and for a term of six years.

Example Sentences

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Senators were originally appointed by state legislatures, but in 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment was approved, which allowed for senators to be elected by popular vote in each state.

From Textbooks • Jul. 28, 2021

Until the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures, or, in many cases, not chosen, since legislatures frequently deadlocked and left the seats vacant.

From The New Yorker • Mar. 20, 2017

The Seventeenth Amendment replaced the previous system of having state legislatures choose senators.

From Textbooks • Dec. 30, 2014

Under the Seventeenth Amendment, citizens could elect their senators directly.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2012

What reasons can you give in favor of the Seventeenth Amendment?

From Our Government: Local, State, and National: Idaho Edition by James, J.A.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023