2008 civics test · Question 19 · System of Government
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
Official answer
- six (6)
What this means
We elect a U.S. senator for six years.
Senate terms are staggered so that only about one-third of the seats are up for election every two years. The Senate is never entirely replaced at once, which was intended to make it a steadier, more deliberate body.
Compare this with the House of Representatives, where members serve two-year terms and the entire chamber is up for election every two years. The test asks about both, so it helps to learn them as a pair:
- Senator: 6 years
- Representative: 2 years
Answer: six (6).
Why this is on the test
Senate and House term lengths are easy to mix up, and the test asks about both, six years for a senator and two for a representative.
How this question is asked
On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.
Related questions
More from System of Government.
- 13 Name one branch or part of the government. ★ 65/20 question
- 14 What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
- 15 Who is in charge of the executive branch?
- 16 Who makes federal laws?
- 17 What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? ★ 65/20 question
- 18 How many U.S. Senators are there?