Changes

==State Legislatures struggle to elect Senators==

This process seemed to work well until the mid-1850s. At that time, growing hostilities in various states resulted in vacant Senate seats. In Indiana, for example, the conflict between Democrats in the southern half of the state and the emerging Republican Party in the northern half prevented the election of any candidate, thereby leaving the Senate seat vacant for two years. This shift marked the beginning of many contentious battles in state legislatures. The struggle to elect senators reflected the increasing tensions over slavery and states' rights that led to the Civil War.