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.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution
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This amendment made it to were senators were elected by popular vote for a term of 6 years. It also gave each state the same amount of senators, 2. It also gave the state the power to hold elections in order to vote for who the senator will be when that state had an empty chair.
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11/19/2009
Missouri Senator Kit Bond Will Not Seek Re-Election
By MICHAEL FALCONESenator Kit Bond, the Missouri Republican who became the state’s youngest governor at the age of 33 and has served in the Senate since 1987, announced on Thursday that he will not run for re-election in 2010.
In a speech to the Missouri General Assembly Mr. Bond, who sits on the Senate appropriations, commerce and intelligence committees, said that he did not aspire to be Missouri’s oldest Senator.
“As a sixth-generation Missourian, I have always loved our state,” Mr. Bond said. “Through 40 years in public life I have met many wonderful people. The people I have met along the way are the reason I ran for public office and the reason I am still here.”
In announcing his retirement, Mr. Bond, 69, puts in play another Republican-held Senate seat in 2010. The Missourian joins fellow G.O.P. senators Mel Martinez of Florida and Sam Brownback of Kansas, who have also said they will not seek another term. Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson has indicated she may cut her term short to run for governor of Texas two years from now.
Mr. Bond’s retirement could pave the way for a more competitive Senate election in a state where Democrats have been making inroads. Missouri’s junior senator, Claire McCaskill, is a Democrat as is its new governor, Jay Nixon. And voters there nearly put the state in Barack Obama’s column in November. The Democratic candidate fell short by just a few thousands votes to Senator John McCain.
Possible candidates for Mr. Bond’s Senate seat include Representative Roy Blunt, the former House Republican whip, former Republican Senator Jim Talent, and two members of a prominent Missouri political family, Robin Carnahan, the secretary of state, and Representative Russ Carnahan, both Democrats.
In his remarks on Thursday, Mr. Bond made a plea for bipartisanship during challenging times.
“In a world today where enemies are real — the kind who behead others based on their religion — it is important to remember there is a lot of real estate between a political opponent and a true enemy,” he said. “Our cause is bigger than ourselves.”
Thoughts:
The choice whether or not to run for senator is a choice only he can make. Obviously if he has been elected to the senate since 1987 he must be doing something right. If he chooses not to run for senate again and wants to retire that is fine, but I hope that his reason for doing so is not because he doesn't want to be Missouri's oldest Senator. If he ran again he may or may not be elected again, its all up to the voters.
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11/19/2009
Democratic Governor Mel Carnahan of Missouri killed in plane crash
Tuesday, October 17, 2000
Governor Carnahan, his son Randy, and an aide were killed in a plane crash Monday evening October 16, 2000.
Governor Carnahan was elected to the Governor's chair in 1992 and re-elected in 1996. Due to term limits, he was unable to run for a third term as governor. Mel Carnahan was running for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Senator John Ashcroft.
Tuesday morning, October 17, 2000, Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson was sworn in as Governor.
Political Implications of Governor Carnahan's passing
A Carnahan victory against Incumbent Republican Senator John Ashcroft was key to the Democrats' plans for regaining control of the United States Senate. Under Missouri law, even though he is dead, Carnahan remains on the ballot. That is, the Democratic Party cannot change the ballot. We are now 3 weeks away from the election and the filing deadline has passed.
Should former Governor Carnahan win the election for the Senate seat, the Missouri governor would appoint a replacement to serve until the next general election. What's unclear is which governor: the Lt. Governor taking the Governor's chair in place of Carnahan, or the governor elect who wins the November election.
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/News/20001017-0.html
Thoughts:
I have mixed feelings about the government leaving someone who has passed on the ballot. The people would know that he has passed and would be less likely to vote for him knowing that they would not have a say on who is put in to fill his seat if he was to win. I think that they should allow another person to take his spot on the ballot of the same party. But this amendment does give the government the right to make laws to enforce this amendment and that is how Missouri chooses to do so, not sure that I agree.
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