Classes of United States Senators facts for kids
The three classes of United States Senators are how the 100 senators are organized into groups. Each class has about 33 or 34 senators. Every six years, one of these classes has its senators up for re-election. This system makes sure that not all senators are elected at the same time, which helps keep the Senate stable.
How US Senators Are Organized
The U.S. Senate is divided into three groups, known as classes. This system helps create a continuous body, meaning that the Senate always has experienced members. Every two years, about one-third of the Senate seats are up for election. This is why senators serve six-year terms, but elections happen every two years.
Class 1 Senators
Class 1 is made up of 33 senators. The last time senators in this class were up for re-election was in 2018. They will be up for re-election again in 2024.
States that have a Class 1 senator include: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Class 2 Senators
Class 2 also has 33 senators. These senators were last up for re-election in 2020. Their next re-election will be in 2026.
States that have a Class 2 senator include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Class 3 Senators
Class 3 is the largest group, with 34 senators. The senators in this class were last up for re-election in 2016. They will be up for re-election again in 2022.
States that have a Class 3 senator include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
See also
In Spanish: Clases de senadores de los Estados Unidos para niños
