| Parliament name |
Congress |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
House of Representatives
|
| LEGAL FRAMEWORK |
| Electoral Law |
1 January 1900
Last amendment: 20/05/1993 |
| Mode of designation |
directly elected 100 |
| Constituencies |
50 multi-member constituencies (two seats each) corresponding to the country's 50 states |
| Voting system |
Majority:
Simple majority vote except in the State of Georgia where a run off is held if no candidate receives an absolute majority.
If a seat becomes vacant between general elections, the Governors in 49 of the 50 States may, through a temporary appointment, fill it either for the balance of the term, or until the next general election, when a special election is held, depending on State requirements. One State (Oregon) requires that Senate vacancies be filled only by special election.
Voting is not compulsory. |
| Voter requirements |
- age: 18 years
- US citizens who "in each State, shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature"
- the determination of who may vote falls under the jurisdiction of each State
- absentee registration and voting mandated by federal law for certain groups of citizens (e.g. armed forces and merchant marine personnel, their spouses and dependants, private citizens residing outside the United States and government employees)
- disqualifications: convicted felons, the mentally incompetent (most States) |
| CANDIDATES |
| Eligibility |
- qualified electors
- age: 30 years
- citizenship for at least 9 years
- residence in the State where running |
| Incompatibilities |
- any civil office under the authority of the United States |
| Candidacy requirements |
- nomination as a result of "nominating", or primary, elections of parties is the practice in most States; it is regulated by state law
- number of voters whose support is necessary to qualify as a candidate in either a party's primary or in a general election, and the necessity or amount of an accompanying filing fee, vary according to state law. |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Electoral system module
