The seventeenth amendment amendment xvii to the united states constitution established the direct election of united states senators in each state the amendment supersedes article i 3 clauses 1 and 2 of the constitution under which senators were elected by state legislaturesit also alters the procedure for filling vacancies in the senate allowing for state legislatures to permit . free reading amendment xvii establishing election to the us senate constitutional amendments beyond the bill of rights uploaded by jir akagawa amendment xvii establishing election to the us senate constitutional amendments beyond the bill of rights amazonde jeff hay ba 1 4 cher the seventeenth amendment. The constitutional amendments beyond the bill of rights series provides in depth coverage of key amendments ratified since 1791 using both historical and contemporary primary and secondary sources including landmark supreme court rulings each volume first presents the historical background of the featured amendment followed by an examination of how the court system has tested the validity . Amendment xvii when the united states constitution was originally drafted the senate was designed to be a counterbalance to the influence of popular opinion while the house was to be elected directly by the people and the representatives would serve two year terms the senate was to be chosen two in each state by the state legislature for six year terms. The amendments constitutional amendment xvii constitutional amendment xvii the senate of the united states shall be composed of two senators from each state elected by the people thereof for six years and each senator shall have one vote