---
title: U.S. Const. Amend. XVII. Popular Election of Senators
collection: code
id: us-const:amend-xvii
cite_as: U.S. Const. Amend. XVII
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/amend-xvii
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/amend-xvii.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/amend-xvii/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/1us-const-(v1)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=328b75b8_0#page=1454
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/index.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/amend-xvi.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/amend-xviii.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
heading_path: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION / Amendments
---

# U.S. Const. Amend. XVII. Popular Election of Senators

A constitution provision shown as in force is in force as printed in the volume. A court decision can make a printed provision unenforceable without changing the volume, and the volume does not record that.

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 appointment 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.

## Cross References

Qualifications of electors, Ga. Const. 1983, Art. II, Sec. I, Paras. II and III; § 21-2-216.

Manner of filling vacancies in office, §§ 21-2-542, 21-2-543, 21-2-543.1, 45-12-50 through 45-12-52.

## Editor's Notes

U.S. Const., amend. 17 supersedes the first paragraph and that part of U.S. Const., art. I, sec. III, cl. 2 dealing with the manner in which senators are chosen and senatorial vacancies filled.

## Law Reviews

For comment criticizing South v. Peters, 339 U.S. 276, 70 S. Ct. 641, 94 L. Ed. 834 (1950), denying federal jurisdiction in apportionment case under Code 1933, § 34-3212, prior to Ga. L. 1964, Ex. Sess., p. 26, county unit system, see 2 Mercer L. Rev. 274 (1950).

For comment on South v. Peters, 339 U.S. 276, 70 S. Ct. 641, 94 L. Ed. 834 (1950), denying federal jurisdiction in case involving apportionment, see 2 Mercer L. Rev. 275 (1950).

For note on malapportionment and the implications of Sanders v. Gray, 372 U.S. 368, 83 S. Ct. 801, 9 L. Ed. 2d 821 (1963), see 14 Mercer L. Rev. 401 (1963).

For comment on the right to vote as affected by state residency requirements, in light of Blumstein v. Ellington, 337 F. Supp. 323 (M.D. Tenn. 1970), aff’d sub nom. Dunn v. Blumstein, 405 U.S. 330, 92 S. Ct. 995, 31 L. Ed. 2d 274 (1972), see 5 Ga. L. Rev. 389 (1971).

For article, “The Independent State Legislature Doctrine, Federal Elections, and State Constitutions,” see 55 Ga. L. Rev. 1 (2020).

For article, “Rucho for Minimalists,” see 71 Mercer L. Rev. 695 (2020).

## Alr.

Validity, construction, and application of Seventeenth Amendment to United States Constitution, providing for direct election of senators and filling vacancies in state’s senatorial delegation, 68 A.L.R.6th 489.