The Constitution
Seventeenth Amendment
The 1913 amendment providing for direct popular election of senators, who had previously been chosen by state legislatures.
In full
Legislative selection had produced deadlocks that left seats vacant for months and recurring bribery scandals. Direct election changed who senators answer to, and critics of the amendment argue it weakened the states as institutions within the federal structure. It also set the rules for filling vacancies, which most states handle by gubernatorial appointment pending an election.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.