The United States presidential election is less than two months away, but this year’s election calendar also encompasses other key votes. Tuesday, November 5 will not only decide whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will be the next president, but also the legislative elections, where one third of the Senate will be renewed and all members of the House of Representatives will be elected.
On that day, voters will elect all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and about 34 seats in the Senate, marking a significant renewal of the United States Congress. Many people wonder how much a senator earns in the United States, what are the requirements to run for office and what are his or her responsibilities and functions.
What is the salary of a senator in the United States?
According to the official website of the United States Senate, the salary of United States senators has remained unchanged since 2009. In 2008 they collected US$169,300 per year for their legislative duties.
Currently, their average compensation is US$174,000 per year. This salary translates into approximately US$14,500 per month for members of both houses of Congress.
The only exceptions include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with a salary of US$18,625 per month and US$223,500 per year, and the President pro tempore of the Senate, as well as the majority and minority leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate, with a salary of US$193,400 per year.
This represents a difference that is 13 times higher than the minimum salary set by the United States government, which is US$1,160.
Requirements to run for senator in the USA
To hold a seat in the House of Representatives, a candidate must meet certain requirements:
- Residing in the state he/she wishes to represent
- Be a U.S. citizen for at least seven years
- Be at least 25 years old
On the other hand, those interested in joining the Senate must be: over the age of 30, have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, and also live in the state they seek to represent.
Another key difference is that senators represent the entire state – with two senators per district – while members of the House of Representatives are charged with representing specific districts within the state. For this reason, the number of representatives assigned to each state varies according to its total population.
In addition, the rules, procedures and organizational structure of each chamber vary considerably. Party leaders and committees have different roles and functions in the House of Representatives as compared to the Senate.
When are the elections in the United States?
There are less than two months to go before citizens vote in the United States elections of 2024, where they will choose the next president of the world’s leading economic power for the next four years. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are the candidates who will finally compete for the presidency after Joe Biden’s last-minute withdrawal.
According to the average of polls conducted by the FiveThirtyEight website, Harris leads with a 2.8 point advantage over the Republican, accumulating 47.1% of voting intention.
However, the elections will be decided in seven key states, where the margin is much tighter. According to the same website, Harris leads in Wisconsin (+2.8 points), Michigan (+1.9), Pennsylvania (+0.6), North Carolina (+0.6), Nevada (+0.5) and Georgia (+0.3), while Trump has the advantage in Arizona (+0.5). Winning the support of the undecided will be crucial for both candidates.