On April 8, 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The amendment established the direct election of U.S. senators by the people rather than by state legislatures. Reformers argued that the old system encouraged corruption and deadlocks. Direct elections were seen as a way to make senators more accountable to voters. The change strengthened the democratic character of the federal government. It remains a key milestone in the broader Progressive Era push for political reform.
