34 out of the 100 seats in the US Senate are up for election on November 2, 2024—33 regular are up for regular election while one seat is a special election. The Republicans hold 10 seats out of the 33 regularly scheduled elections. The remaining seats are shared between the Democrats and the Independent candidates who caucus with the Democrats. The Democrats hold 19 seats while the Independents keep the remaining 4 seats
After the election on November 5, the 33 elected senators will begin their six-year term on the 3rd of January, 2025. However, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for election on November 5. The 5 non-voting members of the chambers are also up for election. In the House of Reps, the Republican has an upper hand as they have a majority of 220-213 seats.
The US Government is divided into three(3) branches, as follows: the Executive branch, being the President; the Judicial branch which constitutes the Supreme Court and the Lower Federal Courts; and The Legislative Branch being Congress, which is bicameral, meaning it is made up of two separate chambers: The Senate and The House of Representatives. The Senate is the upper chamber and The House of Representatives is the lower chamber.
Inasmuch as the legislative power is shared between them, they have different structures, powers, and roles. The House of Representatives is charged with passing bills, also known as federal legislation. In The Senate, all Presidential appointments to the executive and Judicial branches must be confirmed and treaties ratified by The Senate before they go into effect.
The Senate
The Senate is one of the two bodies that constitute the US Congress. The Senate is the Upper Chamber of the United States Congress, vested with exclusive right and power to confirm presidential appointments, and cabinet secretaries, accept or turn down treaties, and look into cases of impeachment brought by the house. The Senate Chamber is located in the north wing of the capitol building in Washington DC and is a rectangular, two-story room.
Article one of the United States Constitution recognizes the power and role of the Senate.
The US has 50 states and each state elects two senators to represent them in the Senate regardless of the state’s population making a total of 100 senators in the US Senate. The Senate is often seen as more prestigious and deliberate due to its smaller size, longer terms, and statewide constituencies.
Until the ratification of the 17th amendment in 1913, state legislators chose the senators rather than it being by popular vote. Consequently, they’ve been elected by the people of the state to six terms, with one-third of the Senate’s seat up for election every two years. To become a senator, you must be a resident of the state you represent, 30 years of age, and a US citizen for at least nine years.
The House of Representatives
The House of Representatives was established in 1789 by the Constitution of the United States alongside the Senate. It’s one of the two houses of the Bicameral Congress of the United States. It is the lower chamber of the Congress.
Members of the US House serve a fixed term of two years with each seat up for election before the start of the next Congress.
A state’s population determines the number of members in the house, and at least one representative is guaranteed from each state. The House of Representatives initiates bills that are revenue-related and impeach federal officials. The House responds more to the immediate needs and concerns of the public since it’s much larger.
Each state is divided into Congressional districts that encompass about 711,000 citizens. All the districts add up to 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
The Differences Between The Senate and The House of Representatives
Here are the unique differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives
| US Senate | House of Representatives |
| It has a total number of 100 members. | It has a total of 435 members. |
| Two senators per state in terms of representation. | The representation is based on the population of each state. |
| It has a term length of 6 years. | The term length is 2 years. |
| The minimum age requirement is 30 years. | The minimum age requirement is 25 years. |
| The citizenship requirement is 9 years. | The citizenship requirement is 7 years. |
| The presiding officer is the Vice president of the United States. | The presiding officer is the speaker of the House. |
| They ratify treaties and confirm appointments. | They initiate revenue bills. |
| They conduct impeachment trials. | They initiate impeachment proceedings. |
| The election cycle is one-third every 2 years. | The election cycle is usually every 2 years. |
| The entire state is its constituency. | Congressional districts are their contingency. |
| The size of the constituencies is larger. | The size of the constituency is smaller. |
| They approve treaties with ¾ votes. | They have no role in treaties. |
| They can originate any bill except revenue. | They originate revenue |
| It’s more deliberate and prestigious. | They are less prestigious. |
The 2024 US Congress Election
The 2024 election year will see the US Senate elections and House race. In the Senate, 33 out of 100 seats will be standing for a regular election while one will be a special election. Currently, the Democrats have the majority seats in the Senate as there are 19 Democrats and only 10 Republicans. The remaining 4 are independent candidates
In the House of Representatives, however, all the Representatives will be partaking in the election including the five non-voting members of the chambers. In the House of Reps, the Republicans are the domineering party as they have a majority of 220 to 223 seats. The US Congress election will also be held on November 5 alongside the US presidential election
