Pennsylvania ratified the United States Constitution on December 12, 1787 and elects its U.S. senators to Class 1 and Class 3. Officeholders are popularly elected, for a six-year term, beginning January 3. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Before 1914, they were chosen by the Pennsylvania General Assembly; before 1935, their terms began March 4. The state's current U.S. senators are Democrat Bob Casey Jr. (since 2007) and Republican Pat Toomey (since 2011), making it one of seven states to have a split United States Senate delegation. Arlen Specter was Pennsylvania's longest-serving senator (1981–2011).