Answer(s)
• Two (2)
• Two (2)
Having a friendly, cooperative atmosphere among colleagues.
When not all positions are up for election at the same time.
An election held outside the regular schedule to fill a vacancy.
DOUGLAS GINSBURG, Federal Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit:
Each state has two senators. The Senate has been called “the world’s greatest deliberative body” – a debatable view, but its small size does make deliberation manageable – and historically, the Senate has been a more collegial body than the House of Representatives.
Just look at the numbers. The House has 435 members. The Senate, 100. In the beginning there were only 26 senators – two from each of the original thirteen states; a truly collegial body.
Each senator is elected by the voters of the entire state, rather than the voters in a particular district, as House members are chosen. Because senators represent their entire state, and because of its smaller size, the Senate is viewed as more powerful than the House.
Senators serve a six-year term. One-third of the Senate is elected every two years. Elections are scheduled so both senators from a state aren’t on the ballot at the same time – except during a rare special election.
The Senate could have been even smaller – with just one senator from each state. But if that senator had to be absent, then the state would be without a voice in the Senate.
Two seemed to be just the right number.