Pew Research - Only six states now have U.S. senators of different parties – the smallest number of split delegations since Americans started directly electing their senators more than a century ago. The number of split Senate delegations has ratcheted downward since peaking at 27 in 1979-80. There were just nine split Senate delegations in the recently concluded 116th Congress, which tied the prior record low.
February 13, 2021
U.S. Senate has fewest split delegations since direct elections began
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Having senate elections in different years for a state seems like a good idea on its face. The elections are spread out. One gets to vote more than every 6-years for a senator. Candidates wouldn't run against a fellow party member at the elections.
But actually it is really a tremendously stupid idea, and completely undemocratic. Potentially one ends up with 51% of the electorate having 2-senators, and 49% of the electorate having no representation. Both senators should be elected in the same election with the top two vote getters being elected, or better still using a transferable vote.
Obviously that's not the only thing wrong with representation at the senate level: having the same number of senators in Wyoming and California is bizarre. How about you can't have more Senators than House members. And how about giving 1-senator to DC so at least there is an odd number of senators.
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