Seventeenth Amendment

The Seventeenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, changed how U.S. Senators are selected. Before, state legislatures chose Senators, which sometimes led to corruption or favoritism. The amendment shifted this process to a direct election, allowing citizens in each state to vote for their Senators. This change aimed to make Senators more accountable to the people and reduce corruption in the nomination process. Essentially, it increased democratic participation in the selection of Senators by giving voters the power to elect their representatives in Congress.