View source for Template talk:Current U.S. senators

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==Scaling==
The problem I have with this version is that it does not scale well.  Some people have small screens or don't have their browser maximized and that makes this look terrible. --[[User:Vikreykja|''Vik Reykja'']]&nbsp;[[User talk:Vikreykja|♬]] 09:36, 3 Apr 2005 (UTC)
*Yes, sadly I see your point.  Tom's new version is quite improved.[[User:Pharos|Pharos]] 06:04, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)
**The sacling problem still's in the one being used right now.  I think I'll change it. [[User:Theshibboleth|Theshibboleth]] 03:29, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

==K.I.S.S.==
I agree the punctuation of the title needs to be fixed. '''Definately''' prefer the smaller, simpler visual layout like [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Current_U.S_Senators&diff=11829505&oldid=11829184 this] over the gaudy box versions. I actually prefer the state and party abbrevs be linked (first use, at least). [[User:Niteowlneils|Niteowlneils]] 14:50, 3 Apr 2005 (UTC)

The Template is messed up....Iowa (IA) should come brfore Idaho (ID) Fix please....<span style="font-size: smaller;" class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/69.37.169.190|69.37.169.190]] ([[User talk:69.37.169.190|talk]]) 04:38, 2 March 2008 (UTC)</span><!-- Template:UnsignedIP -->

== Templates with states and parties ==
How does this look ? --[[User:DuKot|DuKot]] 19:57, 3 Apr 2005 (UTC)
 
<br clear=all> 
<div style="text-align: center;"><small>
{| class="toccolours" style="margin: 0 2em 0 2em;"
! align="center" style="background:#ccccff" width="100%" colspan="2"|[[List of United States Senators|Current members of the United States Senate]]
|-
! valign="left" halign="top" |
[[Alabama|AL]]: [[Dick Shelby|Shelby]] (R) , [[Jeff Sessions|Sessions]] (R) | 
[[Alaska|AK]]: [[Ted Stevens|Stevens]] (R) , [[Lisa Murkowski|Murkowski]] (R) | 
[[Arizona|AZ]]: [[John McCain|McCain]] (R) , [[Jon Kyl|Kyl]]  (R) | 
[[Arkansas|AR]]: [[Blanche Lincoln|Lincoln]] (D) , [[Mark Pryor|Pryor]]  (D) | 
[[California|CA]]: [[Dianne Feinstein|Feinstein]] (D) , [[Barbara Boxer|Boxer]] (D)  | 
[[Colorado|CO]]: [[Wayne Allard|Allard]] (R) , [[Ken Salazar|Salazar]]  (D) | 
[[Connecticut|CT]]: [[Christopher Dodd|Dodd]] (D) , [[Joseph Lieberman|Lieberman]]  (D) | 
[[Delaware|DE]]: [[Joe Biden|Biden]] (D) , [[Thomas R. Carper|Carper]]  (D) | 
[[Florida|FL]]: [[Bill Nelson (politician)|Nelson]] (D) , [[Mel Martinez|Martinez]]  (R) | 
[[Georgia (U.S. state)|GA]]: [[Saxby Chambliss|Chambliss]] (R) , [[Johnny Isakson|Isakson]]  (R) | 
[[Hawaii|HI]]: [[Daniel Inouye|Inouye]] (D) , [[Daniel Akaka|Akaka]]  (D) | 
[[Idaho|ID]]: [[Larry Craig|Craig]] (R) , [[Mike Crapo|Crapo]]  (R) | 
[[Illinois|IL]]: [[Richard Durbin|Durbin]] (D) , [[Barack Obama|Obama]]  (D) | 
[[Indiana|IN]]: [[Richard Lugar|Lugar]] (R) , [[Evan Bayh|Bayh]]  (D) | 
[[Iowa|IO]]: [[Chuck Grassley|Grassley]] (R) , [[Tom Harkin|Harkin]] (D)  | 
[[Kansas|KS]]: [[Sam Brownback|Brownback]] (R) , [[Pat Roberts|Roberts]]  (R) | 
[[Kentucky|KY]]: [[Mitch McConnell|McConnell]] (R) , [[Jim Bunning|Bunning]]  (R) | 
[[Louisiana|LA]]: [[Mary Landrieu|Landrieu]] (D) , [[David Vitter|Vitter]] (R)  | 
[[Maine|ME]]: [[Olympia Snowe|Snowe]] (R) , [[Susan Collins|Collins]]  (R) | 
[[Maryland|MD]]: [[Paul Sarbanes|Sarbanes]] (D) , [[Barbara Mikulski|Mikulski]]  (D) | 
[[Massachusetts|MA]]: [[Edward Kennedy|Kennedy]] (D) , [[John Kerry|Kerry]]  (D) | 
[[Michigan|MI]]: [[Carl Levin|Levin]] (D) , [[Debbie Stabenow|Stabenow]]  (D) | 
[[Minnesota|MN]]: [[Mark Dayton|Dayton]] (D) , [[Norm Coleman|Coleman]]  (R) | 
[[Mississippi|MS]]: [[Thad Cochran|Cochran]] (R) , [[Trent Lott|Lott]]  (R) | 
[[Missouri|MO]]: [[Kit Bond|Bond]] (R) , [[Jim Talent|Talent]]  (R) | 
[[Montana|MT]]: [[Max Baucus|Baucus]] (D) , [[Conrad Burns|Burns]]  (R) | 
[[Nebraska|NB]]: [[Chuck Hagel|Hagel]] (R) , [[Ben Nelson|Nelson]]  (D) | 
[[Nevada|NV]]: [[Harry Reid|Reid]] (D) , [[John Ensign|Ensign]]  (R) | 
[[New Hampshire|NH]]: [[Judd Gregg|Gregg]] (R) , [[John E. Sununu|Sununu]]  (R) | 
[[New Jersey|NJ]]: [[Jon Corzine|Corzine]] (D) , [[Frank Lautenberg|Lautenberg]] (D)  | 
[[New Mexico|NM]]: [[Peter Domenici|Domenici]] (D) , [[Jeff Bingaman|Bingaman]]  (R) | 
[[New York|NY]]: [[Charles Schumer|Schumer]] (D) , [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Clinton]]  (D) | 
[[North Carolina|NC]]: [[Elizabeth Dole|Dole]] (R) , [[Richard Burr|Burr]]  (R) | 
[[North Dakota|ND]]: [[Kent Conrad|Conrad]] (D) , [[Byron Dorgan|Dorgan]]  (D) | 
[[Ohio|OH]]: [[Mike DeWine|DeWine]] (R) , [[George Voinovich|Voinovich]]  (R) | 
[[Oklahoma|OK]]: [[James Inhofe|Inhofe]] (R) , [[Tom Coburn|Coburn]]  (R) | 
[[Oregon|OR]]: [[Ron Wyden|Wyden]] (R) , [[Gordon Smith (politician)|Smith]]  (D) | 
[[Pennsylvania|PA]]: [[Arlen Specter|Specter]] (R) , [[Rick Santorum|Santorum]]  (R) | 
[[Rhode Island|RI]]: [[Jack Reed|Reed]] (D) , [[Lincoln Chafee|Chafee]]  (R) | 
[[South Carolina|SC]]: [[Lindsey Graham|Graham]] (R) , [[Jim DeMint|DeMint]]  (R) | 
[[South Dakota|SD]]: [[Tim Johnson (South Dakota)|Johnson]] (D) , [[John Thune|Thune]]  (R) | 
[[Tennessee|TN]]: [[Bill Frist|Frist]] (R) , [[Lamar Alexander|Alexander]]  (R) | 
[[Texas|TX]]: [[Kay Bailey Hutchison|Hutchison]] (R) , [[John Cornyn|Cornyn]]  (R) | 
[[Utah|UT]]: [[Orrin Hatch|Hatch]] (R) , [[Robert Foster Bennett|Bennett]]  (R) | 
[[Vermont|VT]]: [[Patrick Leahy|Leahy]] (D) , [[James Jeffords|Jeffords]] (I)  | 
[[Virginia|VA]]: [[John Warner|Warner]] (R) , [[George Allen (politician)|Allen]]  (R) | 
[[Washington (U.S. state)|WA]]: [[Patty Murray|Murray]] (D) , [[Maria Cantwell|Cantwell]]  (D) | 
[[West Virginia|WV]]: [[Robert Byrd|Byrd]] (D) , [[Jay Rockefeller|Rockefeller]] (D)  | 
[[Wisconsin|WI]]: [[Herbert Kohl (senator)|Kohl]] (D) , [[Russ Feingold|Feingold]]  (D) | 
[[Wyoming|WY]]: [[Craig Thomas (politician)|Thomas]] (R) , [[Mike Enzi|Enzi]] (R)
|}
</small></div>

: This is a great tweak of the much-simplified version. One of the things that makes the template useful is checking out which states are all-Democrat, all-Republican, or 1:1, and this makes for a very easy way to do it. I say we stick with this. [[User:Christopher Schuller|christopherschuller]] 07:44, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)
I actually wonder if it wouldnt be better to highlight the party by color; for example:
{|
|-
| bgcolor=#DBEAFF|[[Harry Reid|Reid]] || bgcolor=#FFCCC1|[[John Ensign|Ensign]]
|}
This could also give a view at-a-glance of the broad party strengths in the Senate, and also which states are solid and which are split.  I haven't quite figured out how to get this to work in the template box, though; any help would be appeciated.--[[User:Pharos|Pharos]] 07:59, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)

: Use spans.  For instance:
::: <nowiki><span style="background-color:#dbeaff;">[[Harry Reid|Reid]]</span> <span style="background-color:#ffccc1;">[[John Ensign|Ensign]]</span></nowiki>
: comes out as:
::: <span style="background-color:#dbeaff;">[[Harry Reid|Reid]]</span> <span style="background-color:#ffccc1;">[[John Ensign|Ensign]]</span>
: &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 13:03, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Oh, please lose the colors. It looks absolutely hideous. [[User:Bkonrad|older]]<span style="color: blue">'''≠'''</span>[[User talk:Bkonrad|wiser]] 00:22, Apr 5, 2005 (UTC)
:Indeed, colors are way over the top. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 01:36, Apr 5, 2005

Colors are much better than the version with (D) and (R). We are using the 'standard' color scheme. Red for republicans and Blue for democrats. --[[User:DuKot|DuKot]] 07:51, 5 Apr 2005 (UTC)

:Standard schmandard, it looks awful. I mean it looks really, horribly amateurish. Not at all what one would expect from a quality encyclodedia. And I don't even want to think what usability professionals would have to say about overlaying the colors on top of text links. [[User:Bkonrad|older]]<span style="color:blue;">'''&ne;'''</span>[[User talk:Bkonrad|wiser]] 22:17, Apr 5, 2005 (UTC)

It is [[amateur]]ish; noone's being paid for this.  The goal of a diagram like this is not to just be as graphically simple as possible, but actually to communicate the most information in a simple way.  Looking at the color-coded version, one can actually say at a glance that New York and Wisconsin are pretty Democratic states, while Alabama and Oklahoma are pretty Republican, and states like Loiuisiana and Nevada are somewhere in between.  This is almost a visually impossible thing to do from the (D)(R)(I) wall of undifferentiated text version, which practically requires you to trace the box with your finger to acquire any useful information from it at all.  A quality encyclopedia is one with actually useful features, and we use color in many other parts of Wikipedia to illustrate and background.--[[User:Pharos|Pharos]] 05:56, 6 Apr 2005 (UTC)
::But if the template makes a hideous mess of the articles that it is in, that far outweighs whatever slight convenience you might see in providing a color-coded representation of the parties. I look at that template and it is extremely difficult to tell "at a glance" what state has what party representation. The template fails at that objective. So it would be best to remove the ugliness and leave the graphic representation of balance of power to an article where there is space to deploy a more meaningful graphic. [[User:Bkonrad|older]]<span style="color:blue;">'''&ne;'''</span>[[User talk:Bkonrad|wiser]] 23:21, Apr 7, 2005 (UTC)
: You know, I once had a roommate who was totally color-blind.  After he got dressed, he would have to ask me if his clothes clashed, because he couldn't tell.  He would not be able to tell if a Senator was Democratic or Republican.  Ditto users of text browsers, just as lynx.
: Just something to think about.  &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 13:18, 6 Apr 2005 (UTC)

=== DLJessup's draft ===
I just revised the template.  I made the following changes:
# I prevented line breaking in the middle of a state delegation.
# I re-added the "(X)" party abbreviations, but didn't get rid of the background colors.  The colors are sufficiently light that no one should have trouble reading the links (but correct me if this impression is incorrect) and they serve as an additional visual cue to the party, yet one can also use the party abbreviation if one is color-blind, using a text browser, or just more lexically- than chromatically-oriented.  Basically, I figure two modes or information transfer are better than one.
# I readded pipes between state delegations.  The pipes serve to separate the delegations from each other.  If somebody were to find a better way to make sure that the states are visually grouped, I'd appreciate it.
# I readded commas between the two senators, to group the party abbreviation with the appropriate senator.
I fully expect to get [[User:Pharos|Pharos]] rather exercised, since I effectively reversed two of his changes.  Nonetheless, I think that this is the best version, although I'm willing to be convinced otherwise. &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 00:59, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)

:The colors are absolutely hideous. Is everyone else color-blind? My god. This is just awful. Honestly. Aside from the colors though, I could live with the template. [[User:Bkonrad|older]]<span style="color:blue;">'''&ne;'''</span>[[User talk:Bkonrad|wiser]] 01:08, Apr 8, 2005 (UTC)
::I am happy as long as there is some kind of party identification. I personally prefer the colors instead of (D) or (R). --[[User:DuKot|DuKot]] 04:23, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Actually I increased the size of the state abbreviations expressly to serve as visual markers and eliminate the need for the pipes (compare it with the previous versions and you will see what I mean).  I don't really think the (R)(D)(I)s are necessary (monochromatic colorblindness for one is extremely rare, and these people still can distinguish solid shades of differing brightness), but inside the color blocks they probably detract less visually than standing naked in whitespace.  A fair resolution, but I still think we can dump the pipes.--[[User:Pharos|Pharos]] 05:03, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)
*DL, I don't understand your most recent change of the template at all (after the one described here).  Was it accidental?--[[User:Pharos|Pharos]] 05:36, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Yes, it was accidental.  I was previewing a change in which I replaced pipes with extra space, to see if that worked better.  I had thought that I clicked cancel instead of save. &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 14:44, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)

=== Aris Katsaris' version ===
Please check out my own suggested version as well. I think that organizing it in five columns of ten makes it much more elegant and readable. Now we have states one under the other -- findable. Colors tell us affiliation at a glance, but now that it's organized in columns it doesn't drive my eyes mad. Tell me what you think. [[User:Aris Katsaris|Aris Katsaris]] 06:54, Apr 8, 2005 (UTC)

: What is it that people have against having both the party abbreviation and the colors?  &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 14:48, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)

:: I had removed them because I felt it wasted space. In small screen definitions (or bigger fonts) they made the senators' names wrap, and thus the template less elegant. [[User:Aris Katsaris|Aris Katsaris]] 19:22, Apr 8, 2005 (UTC)

:::I like the new version.  Colors have to go though; very unattractive and unnecessary. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 21:00, Apr 8, 2005 (UTC)

== Colors problem ==
I feel the colors seriously detract from this template.  Perhaps introducing much lighter shades will be easier on the eyes, as right now it is far too ugly with colors. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 15:05, Apr 10, 2005 (UTC)
: I've softened the colours -- what do you think now?<small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Aris Katsaris|Aris Katsaris]] ([[User talk:Aris Katsaris|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Aris Katsaris|contribs]]) 15:17, 10 April 2005 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Unsigned -->
Looks much better, but they ''might'' be too light, depending on who looks at it.  TBH, it would be best without color. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 15:30, Apr 10, 2005 (UTC)
:The softened colors are better (or are at least less garish), although it still looks like something a sixth-grader put together (no offense to sixth-graders, but I think maybe we can expect a bit more for WP). [[User:Bkonrad|older]]<span style="color:blue;">'''&ne;'''</span>[[User talk:Bkonrad|wiser]] 22:53, Apr 11, 2005 (UTC)
: Definitely too light.  On my Windows computer, I can't see the background colors at all.  However, if tomf688's computer is rendering these colors dark enough to see now, I can only imagine how difficult it might be to have read the original background on his computer. &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 11:49, 11 Apr 2005 (UTC)
::'''The colors are horrible'''.  --[[User:Myselfalso|myselfalso]] 15:28, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

==Text size too large (with Cologne Blue skin)==
With the Cologne Blue skin, the current (April 10) version uses standard text size. This takes up easily the entire screen. It might work if the font sizes was defined differently (font or small tag, style on span e.g.). Please check.<small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added by [[User:Docu|Docu]] ([[User talk:Docu|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Docu|contribs]]) 11:25, 11 April 2005 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Undated --> 

BTW the earlier versions looked better (except for text bolding). -- User:Docu<small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added by [[User:Docu|Docu]] ([[User talk:Docu|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Docu|contribs]]) 11:27, 11 April 2005 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Undated --> 
:Thank you for fixing it. The span tag reduces the text size. -- User:Docu<small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added by [[User:Docu|Docu]] ([[User talk:Docu|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Docu|contribs]]) 23:06, 11 April 2005 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Undated --> 

== TFD'd ==
This template was listed for deletion on [[WP:TFD]].  Since [[Template:Current U.S. Senators|this link is blue]], I think that it is safe for us to assume that the decision was to keep (humour; there actually was consensus and I have archived it).  Please see [[Wikipedia:Templates for deletion/Log/Not deleted]] for more information. -[[User:Frazzydee|Frazzydee]]|[[User talk:Frazzydee|✍]] 00:29, 14 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Archive of vote and discussion could be found here. [[Template_talk:Current_U.S._Senators/TFD_Vote_Archive]]<small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:DuKot|DuKot]] ([[User talk:DuKot|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/DuKot|contribs]]) 04:30, 14 April 2005 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Unsigned -->

== Should either removed the (D)s and (R)s or colors ==
No need for both, since they both pretty much say the same thing.  I'd vote to remove the colors, personally. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 00:44, Apr 14, 2005 (UTC)

: I understand not liking textual redundancy &mdash; that just lowers the signal to noise ratio.  But modal redundancy is a '''good''' thing:  some people can't use the colors (for instance, because they're using a text browser, such as lynx, or they're color-blind), but others like having the colors because the brain processes colors faster and with greater accuracy than it interprets text. &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 12:55, 14 Apr 2005 (UTC)

:: I'd actually support reviving the VFD thing on this template following the recent changes made to each state's templates.  Every state template now provides a link to each congressional representation template, so its basically just one more click and a lot smoother-looking and less crowded.  See [[Template:MD-FedRep]] for example. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 00:07, Apr 15, 2005 (UTC)

== This template is making pages much too long ==
I'm going to paste below the length of this template combined with several others from [[John McCain]]'s article.

{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=[[U.S._Congressional_Delegations_from_Arizona|United States Representative from Arizona]] | before=[[John Jacob Rhodes]] | after=[[John Jacob Rhodes III]] | years=1983&ndash;1987}}
{{succession box | title=[[List of United States Senators from Arizona|Class 3 U.S. Senator from Arizona]] | before=[[Barry Goldwater]] | after=Current incumbent | years=1987&ndash;}}
{{end box}}

{{AZ-FedRep}}
{{Current U.S. Senators}}

It's way too much IMO.  The recent changes to the FedRep templates (which adds links to other congressional delegation templates) just adds one extra click to the process, and should be used in favor of this template.

Too much. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 14:58, Apr 15, 2005 (UTC)

: I'm actually inclined to agree.  However, I would hold off on the VfD until (a) all of the XX-FedRep templates at least have the Senate links filled and (b) all of the individual senator's pages have the "Current U.S. Senators" template removed.
: BTW, has anyone considered the effort that's going to be required for the XX-FedRep templates come January 3, 2007?  &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 22:52, 15 Apr 2005 (UTC)

If you mean after the next elections... shouldn't be too hard to change a few links. --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 00:06, Apr 16, 2005 (UTC)

: I'm going to take back my previous comment (about being inclined to agree), because the XX-FedRep templates no longer link to the other templates, but to the U.S._Congressional_Delegations_from_<State> pages. &mdash; [[User:DLJessup|DLJessup]] 15:19, 16 Apr 2005 (UTC)

If "Congressional delegates by state" would be add into the two letter codes of {{tl|Current U.S. Senators}} rather than {{tl|AZ-FedRep}}, the pages would be 3 lines shorter. Ok, it would still be too long. -- User:Doc

::Would be better to keep those three lines and just get rid of this template... then it would be a lot of lines shorter. :) --[[user:tomf688|<span style="font-size:small; font-family:garamond; color:#3979BF;">tomf688</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]])</sup> 20:14, Apr 16, 2005 (UTC)

Please consider revising this template to match the USGovernors template. No color, no party designation, nice size, clean and simple. Plenty of room at this font for two last names in the place of one full name. [[User:Stilltim|stilltim]] 12:07, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

== Size poll ==
To improve the user experience [[User:Matt Yeager]] tried to REDUCE the font size of the template [[Template:Current U.S. Senators]]. His version (which would be referred to as Version M) of the template could be found here [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Current_U.S._Senators&oldid=44014135]. 

To [[User:DuKot]] this new version looks BIGGER than  his version  (Version D) [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Current_U.S._Senators&oldid=44014813]. 

According to the wiki code Version M must be smaller than Version D. However User:DuKot has tried viewing the page in Firefox and IE and still Version M looks bigger than Version D. 

Question 1:
In your browser , which version appears larger? Version M or Version D. Also specify the name of your browser. 

Question 2:
According to your opinion which version of the template is more user friendly? Version M or Version D
--[[User:DuKot|DuKot]] 07:29, 16 March 2006 (UTC)

:A quick look at the template code for Version M and at the [http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS21/fonts.html#propdef-font-size official standard] shows the cause of the problem: <code>font-size:xxx-small</code> is nonsense. The smallest <code>&lt;absolute-size&gt;</code> available is <code>xx-small</code>. This causes the whole <code>font-size</code> property to be dropped (with a nice error message on Firefox's JavaScript Console), making it assume the default value (which is defined elsewhere, and which for most people should be larger than Version D's <code>x-small</code>). --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 00:56, 18 March 2006 (UTC)

::Thanks! I've re-written the template using <code>xx-small</code>, and it again looks much, much smaller on mine. How about on your guys'? [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 04:35, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

:::Looks great to me. By the way, while we're all discussing the template, I have to put my lot in with those who think the colors aren't useful. We already show party affiliation, so it doesn't add any useful information, and it certainly doesn't add to the aesthetics, IMHO. &ndash; [[User:Quadell|Quadell]] <sup>([[User_talk:Quadell|talk]]) ([[Wikipedia:Bounty board|bounties]])</sup> 14:31, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

::::Agreed, the colors ought to go. [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 16:35, 19 March 2006 (UTC)
=== Responses ===
* Q1. Version M bigger (Firefox, IE). Q2. Version D is better --[[User:DuKot|DuKot]] 07:31, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
* 1. M (Safari); 2. D &mdash;''[[User_talk:Markles|Markles]]'' 11:33, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
* 1. M (Firefox and IE); 2. D, since M goes off the side of the page. &ndash; [[User:Quadell|Quadell]] <sup>([[User_talk:Quadell|talk]]) ([[Wikipedia:Bounty board|bounties]])</sup> 13:43, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
* 1. M (Firefox); 2. D  ~ [[User:ElCharismo|Ross (ElCharismo)]] 14:17, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
*Q1 M, IE; Q2 D [[User:Bkonrad|older]] ≠ [[User talk:Bkonrad|wiser]] 14:30, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
* 1. D (I.E. 6.0); 2. M ... is my computer just too old? [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 01:06, 17 March 2006 (UTC)
* 1. M (SeaMonkey); 2. D (the other one forces a horizontal scroll) [[User:Dtobias|*Dan T.*]] 02:23, 17 March 2006 (UTC)
*Same (Mozilla), but probably because I have a minimum font size set in my browser.  Version D has less spacing between lines and is slightly shorter.  As for user friendliness, these templates are much too ''wide''.  Although I don't know what other guidelines are out there, the [[Wikipedia:Image_use_policy#Size|image use policy]] suggests a maximum width of 550px.  This template should be condensed down to three or four columns. —[[User:Moverton|Mike]] 03:53, 17 March 2006 (UTC)
* They both force a scroll for me, but the D version is much wider... at least on my computer. [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 04:06, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

==Four columns==
So, now, people with smaller resolutions won't have to horizontally scroll because of this one template. How do you all like it? [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 05:49, 3 April 2006 (UTC)

:Very nice. ~ [[User:ElCharismo|Ross (ElCharismo)]] 15:12, 3 April 2006 (UTC)

::Thanks! [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 06:44, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

===3 columns?===
I've seen at least 2 requests at info-en@wikim to fix pages causing horizontal scrollbars, and the one I'm answering now is referencing an article with this template. These people are probably viewing articles with low resolution or with increased font size. Note that browsers like Firefox has a minimum font size setting, which overrides what a page's CSS may suggest. Can we change it to 3 columns for these users? 

When people start using cell-phones and PDAs to surf the site we'll have to use a liquid [http://www.useit.com/alertbox/designmistakes.html (see mistake 9)] design.-- [[User:Jeandré|Jeandré]], 2006-05-14[[User talk:Jeandré|t]]15:20z

:Well, it used to be five columns, and almost everyone had to scroll. The template would be very, very cramped with just three columns, and I don't know if anyone needs to scroll now. If need could be demonstrated, we could potentially change it, but it'd be a good deal of work, and I just don't see any need. =/ [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 02:24, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

::The user who emailed info-en@ needs to scroll, as do I (my minimum font size=15 on Ubuntu Firefox) eventho I don't have a problem with it as Firefox makes the rest of the text fill the visible space so scrolling is only required for large images and tables. I've changed it to 3 columns. -- [[User:Jeandré|Jeandré]], 2006-05-16[[User talk:Jeandré|t]]21:07z

:::Well, now it looks like an ugly mess at 3 columns. Could you maybe raise a consensus to make such a drastic change? Forcing a microminority of users to scroll horizontally is a pain, but as I see it we might as well not have the template at three columns--it's dang near unreadable. [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 00:08, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

::::If it makes all 100 senator articles near impossible to use for people with poor eye sight, I don't think it's minor. It's about the information, not how pretty it is. If a template with 150 links is too big, then a link to an article instead would be better. See [[page widening]]. -- [[User:Jeandré|Jeandré]], 2006-05-20[[User talk:Jeandré|t]]12:22z

::::Jeandré raises a very good point. Many of the navbox templates add considerable clutter to articles primarily only for the sake of convenience--to avoid having to click an extra click to go to a list page or category page. [[User:Bkonrad|older]] ≠ [[User talk:Bkonrad|wiser]] 12:44, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

==Leadership?==
I was wondering if it would be alright to add leadership to the template. This is what I'm suggesting:

{| class="toccolours" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" align=center
! align="center" colspan=5 | [[List of current United States Senators|Current members of the United States Senate]]
|- style="font-size:xx-small;text-align:left;"
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Vice President of the United States|President]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Dick Cheney|Cheney]] (R)</span><br>
[[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|President ''pro tempore'']]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Ted Stevens|Stevens]] (R)</span><br>
[[Alabama|AL]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Richard Shelby|Shelby]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jeff Sessions|Sessions]] (R)</span><br>
[[Alaska|AK]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Ted Stevens|Stevens]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Lisa Murkowski|Murkowski]] (R)</span><br>    
[[Arizona|AZ]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[John McCain|McCain]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jon Kyl|Kyl]] (R)</span><br>
[[Arkansas|AR]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Blanche Lincoln|Lincoln]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Mark Pryor|Pryor]] (D)</span><br>
[[California|CA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Dianne Feinstein|Feinstein]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Barbara Boxer|Boxer]] (D)</span><br>   
[[Colorado|CO]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Wayne Allard|Allard]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ken Salazar|Salazar]] (D)</span><br>
[[Connecticut|CT]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Christopher Dodd|Dodd]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Joe Lieberman|Lieberman]] (D)</span><br>
[[Delaware|DE]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Joe Biden|Biden]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Thomas R. Carper|Carper]] (D)</span><br>
[[Florida|FL]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Bill Nelson|Nelson]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mel Martinez|Martinez]] (R)</span><br>
[[Georgia (U.S. state)|GA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Saxby Chambliss|Chambliss]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Johnny Isakson|Isakson]] (R)</span><br>
[[Hawaii|HI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Daniel Inouye|Inouye]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Daniel Akaka|Akaka]] (D)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Idaho|ID]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Larry Craig|Craig]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mike Crapo|Crapo]] (R)</span><br>
[[Illinois|IL]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Richard Durbin|Durbin]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Barack Obama|Obama]] (D)</span><br>
[[Indiana|IN]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Dick Lugar|Lugar]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Evan Bayh|Bayh]] (D)</span><br>
[[Iowa|IA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Chuck Grassley|Grassley]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Tom Harkin|Harkin]] (D)</span><br>
[[Kansas|KS]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Sam Brownback|Brownback]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Pat Roberts|Roberts]] (R)</span><br>
[[Kentucky|KY]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mitch McConnell|McConnell]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jim Bunning|Bunning]] (R)</span><br>
[[Louisiana|LA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Mary Landrieu|Landrieu]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[David Vitter|Vitter]] (R)</span><br>
[[Maine|ME]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Olympia Snowe|Snowe]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Susan Collins|Collins]] (R)</span><br>
[[Maryland|MD]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Paul Sarbanes|Sarbanes]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Barbara Mikulski|Mikulski]] (D)</span><br>
[[Massachusetts|MA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ted Kennedy|Kennedy]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[John Kerry|Kerry]] (D)</span><br>
[[Michigan|MI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Carl Levin|Levin]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Debbie Stabenow|Stabenow]] (D)</span><br>
[[Minnesota|MN]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Mark Dayton|Dayton]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Norm Coleman|Coleman]] (R)</span><br>
[[Mississippi|MS]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Thad Cochran|Cochran]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Trent Lott|Lott]] (R)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Missouri|MO]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Kit Bond|Bond]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jim Talent|Talent]] (R)</span><br>
[[Montana|MT]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Max Baucus|Baucus]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Conrad Burns|Burns]] (R)</span><br>
[[Nebraska|NE]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Chuck Hagel|Hagel]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ben Nelson|Nelson]] (D)</span><br>
[[Nevada|NV]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Harry Reid|Reid]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Ensign|Ensign]] (R)</span><br>
[[New Hampshire|NH]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Judd Gregg|Gregg]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John E. Sununu|Sununu]] (R)</span><br>
[[New Jersey|NJ]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Frank Lautenberg|Lautenberg]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Bob Menendez|Menendez]] (D)</span><br>
[[New Mexico|NM]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Pete Domenici|Domenici]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jeff Bingaman|Bingaman]] (D)</span><br>
[[New York|NY]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Charles Schumer|Schumer]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Clinton]] (D)</span><br>
[[North Carolina|NC]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Elizabeth Dole|Dole]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Richard Burr|Burr]] (R)</span><br>
[[North Dakota|ND]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Kent Conrad|Conrad]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Byron Dorgan|Dorgan]] (D)</span><br>
[[Ohio|OH]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mike DeWine|DeWine]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[George Voinovich|Voinovich]] (R)</span><br>
[[Oklahoma|OK]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jim Inhofe|Inhofe]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Tom Coburn|Coburn]] (R)</span><br>
[[Oregon|OR]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ron Wyden|Wyden]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Gordon Smith (politician)|Smith]] (R)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Pennsylvania|PA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Arlen Specter|Specter]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Rick Santorum|Santorum]] (R)</span><br>
[[Rhode Island|RI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jack Reed|Reed]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Lincoln Chafee|Chafee]] (R)</span><br>
[[South Carolina|SC]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Lindsey Graham|Graham]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jim DeMint|DeMint]] (R)</span><br>
[[South Dakota|SD]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Tim Johnson|Johnson]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Thune|Thune]] (R)</span><br>
[[Tennessee|TN]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Bill Frist|Frist]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Lamar Alexander|Alexander]] (R)</span><br>
[[Texas|TX]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Kay Bailey Hutchison|Hutchison]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Cornyn|Cornyn]] (R)</span><br>
[[Utah|UT]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Orrin Hatch|Hatch]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Robert Foster Bennett|Bennett]] (R)</span><br>
[[Vermont|VT]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Patrick Leahy|Leahy]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#ffd;">[[Jim Jeffords|Jeffords]] (I)</span><br>
[[Virginia|VA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Warner|Warner]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[George Felix Allen|Allen]] (R)</span><br>
[[Washington (U.S. state)|WA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Patty Murray|Murray]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Maria Cantwell|Cantwell]] (D)</span><br>
[[West Virginia|WV]]:  <span style="background:#eef;">[[Robert Byrd|Byrd]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jay Rockefeller|Rockefeller]] (D)</span><br>
[[Wisconsin|WI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Herbert Kohl (senator)|Kohl]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Russ Feingold|Feingold]] (D)</span><br>
[[Wyoming|WY]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Craig Thomas (politician)|Thomas]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mike Enzi|Enzi]] (R)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
</span>
|- style="font-size:smaller; text-align:center;"
| colspan=5| <span style="font-size:x-small;"><span style="background:#fee;"> [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] </span> | <span style="background:#eef;"> [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] </span> | <span style="background-color:#ffd;"> Independent </span></span>
|}

I added the President and the President ''pro tempore''. Since every column wasn't equal in height, I thought I might as well add the two leadership positions. (I left out Byrd and president pro tempre emeritus since that title is absolutley ceremonial.) One clear disadvantage is that both President and president pro tempore are not very significant positions in common practice as well. Another con is that Ted Stevens is listed twice near eachother, (which may imply the senior senator from Alaska and the pres. pro tempre are different people). I already know the template is already crammed with information, but just wondering if anyone else has any thoughts. - Rogsheng<small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added by [[User:Rogsheng|Rogsheng]] ([[User talk:Rogsheng|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Rogsheng|contribs]]) 01:16, 5 July 2006 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Undated --> 

:Not a bad idea. I'd suggest going for it. Be bold! [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 04:40, 14 July 2006 (UTC)

==Connecticut for Lieberman==
shouldn't Liberman's party be changed (either to I or CL) since he is now officially in the "Connecticut for Lieberman" party [[User:FleetAdmiralJ|FleetAdmiralJ]] 14:41, 9 August 2006 (UTC)

:Let's wait on an official announcement that he's changing parties (or going indie)--for now, he's just ''running'' as an independent. [[User:Matt Yeager|<b style="color:#DF0001;">Matt Yeager</b>]] [[Special:Random|<b style="font-size:medium; color:#B46611;">♫</b>]] <span style="color:#00AA88;">([[User_talk:Matt Yeager|<span style="color:#00AA88;">Talk?</span>]])</span> 05:24, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

I apologize, I already jumped on the gun on removing Santorum, forgetting that, lo, he's still a senator, albeit a lame duck. But I wonder - does Lieberman count as a Democrat until the new Senate is sworn in? I should think so.
[[User:Matveiko|Matveiko]] 08:51, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
:Lieberman will caucus with the Democrats, and there is no reason to believe they will not allow him to do so. Technically they would not have a majority without him. He himself remains a Democrat through and through, despite his views on the war and the primary voters' preferences. I'm sure he is registered as such. Think of it this way: the Connecticut for Lieberman Party chose a Democrat as its candidate. Or did I miss something? ''Addendum - I suppose I did miss something, namely my opinion, though one could derive the answer. As Lieberman is a Democrat and a duly elected Senator from Connecticut, he should be identified on the template as a Democrat.'' --[[User:BDD|BDD]] 06:28, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Is it clear enough by now that Lieberman shouldn't be classified as a Democrat of any stripe? He's officially an Independent and he frequently votes against and speaks against Democrats. I'm changing it for now; Independent Democrat is a made-up category and therefore inaccurate anyway.[[User:Epenthesis|Epenthesis]] 04:22, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

:Lieberman still caucuses with the Democratic party (admittedly so does Saunders) and, perhaps more importantly, is a registered Democrat.  He frequently votes against and speaks against (most) Democrats on a specific and high-profile nexus of issues -- those surrounded the Iraq War and other military and clandestine operations in the Middle East -- but those are not the only issues that the Senate considers.  On the vast majority of his other positions his votes match the consensus of the Democratic caucus in the Senate.  I'm not personally a fan of him, but let's not pretend he's something he's not. --[[User:Jfruh|Jfruh]] ([[User talk:Jfruh|talk]]) 02:45, 14 August 2007 (UTC)

== 110th congress update - use after Jan 3 2007 ==
{| class="toccolours" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" align=center
! align="center" colspan=5 | [[List of current United States Senators|Current members of the United States Senate]]
|- style="font-size:xx-small;text-align:left;"
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Alabama|AL]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Richard Shelby|Shelby]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jeff Sessions|Sessions]] (R)</span><br>
[[Alaska|AK]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Ted Stevens|Stevens]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Lisa Murkowski|Murkowski]] (R)</span><br>    
[[Arizona|AZ]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[John McCain|McCain]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jon Kyl|Kyl]] (R)</span><br>
[[Arkansas|AR]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Blanche Lincoln|Lincoln]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Mark Pryor|Pryor]] (D)</span><br>
[[California|CA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Dianne Feinstein|Feinstein]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Barbara Boxer|Boxer]] (D)</span><br>   
[[Colorado|CO]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Wayne Allard|Allard]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ken Salazar|Salazar]] (D)</span><br>
[[Connecticut|CT]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Christopher Dodd|Dodd]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#ffd;">[[Joe Lieberman|Lieberman]] (I)</span><br>
[[Delaware|DE]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Joe Biden|Biden]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Thomas R. Carper|Carper]] (D)</span><br>
[[Florida|FL]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Bill Nelson|Nelson]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mel Martinez|Martinez]] (R)</span><br>
[[Georgia (U.S. state)|GA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Saxby Chambliss|Chambliss]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Johnny Isakson|Isakson]] (R)</span><br>
[[Hawaii|HI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Daniel Inouye|Inouye]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Daniel Akaka|Akaka]] (D)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Idaho|ID]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Larry Craig|Craig]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mike Crapo|Crapo]] (R)</span><br>
[[Illinois|IL]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Richard Durbin|Durbin]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Barack Obama|Obama]] (D)</span><br>
[[Indiana|IN]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Dick Lugar|Lugar]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Evan Bayh|Bayh]] (D)</span><br>
[[Iowa|IA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Chuck Grassley|Grassley]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Tom Harkin|Harkin]] (D)</span><br>
[[Kansas|KS]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Sam Brownback|Brownback]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Pat Roberts|Roberts]] (R)</span><br>
[[Kentucky|KY]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mitch McConnell|McConnell]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jim Bunning|Bunning]] (R)</span><br>
[[Louisiana|LA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Mary Landrieu|Landrieu]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[David Vitter|Vitter]] (R)</span><br>
[[Maine|ME]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Olympia Snowe|Snowe]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Susan Collins|Collins]] (R)</span><br>
[[Maryland|MD]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Barbara Mikulski|Mikulski]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ben Cardin|Cardin]] (D)</span><br>
[[Massachusetts|MA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ted Kennedy|Kennedy]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[John Kerry|Kerry]] (D)</span><br>
[[Michigan|MI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Carl Levin|Levin]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Debbie Stabenow|Stabenow]] (D)</span><br>
[[Minnesota|MN]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Norm Coleman|Coleman]] (R)</span>,<span style="background:#eef;">[[Amy Klobuchar|Klobuchar]] (D)</span><br>
[[Mississippi|MS]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Thad Cochran|Cochran]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Trent Lott|Lott]] (R)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Missouri|MO]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Kit Bond|Bond]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Claire McCaskill|McCaskill]] (D)</span><br>
[[Montana|MT]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Max Baucus|Baucus]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jon Tester|Tester]] (D)</span><br>
[[Nebraska|NE]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Chuck Hagel|Hagel]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ben Nelson|Nelson]] (D)</span><br>
[[Nevada|NV]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Harry Reid|Reid]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Ensign|Ensign]] (R)</span><br>
[[New Hampshire|NH]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Judd Gregg|Gregg]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John E. Sununu|Sununu]] (R)</span><br>
[[New Jersey|NJ]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Frank Lautenberg|Lautenberg]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Bob Menendez|Menendez]] (D)</span><br>
[[New Mexico|NM]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Pete Domenici|Domenici]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jeff Bingaman|Bingaman]] (D)</span><br>
[[New York|NY]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Charles Schumer|Schumer]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Clinton]] (D)</span><br>
[[North Carolina|NC]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Elizabeth Dole|Dole]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Richard Burr|Burr]] (R)</span><br>
[[North Dakota|ND]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Kent Conrad|Conrad]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Byron Dorgan|Dorgan]] (D)</span><br>
[[Ohio|OH]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[George Voinovich|Voinovich]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Sherrod Brown|Brown]] (D)</span><br>
[[Oklahoma|OK]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jim Inhofe|Inhofe]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Tom Coburn|Coburn]] (R)</span><br>
[[Oregon|OR]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Ron Wyden|Wyden]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Gordon Smith (politician)|Smith]] (R)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
[[Pennsylvania|PA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Arlen Specter|Specter]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Bob Casey, Jr.|Casey]] (D)</span><br>
[[Rhode Island|RI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jack Reed|Reed]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Sheldon Whitehouse|Whitehouse]] (D)</span><br>
[[South Carolina|SC]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Lindsey Graham|Graham]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Jim DeMint|DeMint]] (R)</span><br>
[[South Dakota|SD]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Tim Johnson|Johnson]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Thune|Thune]] (R)</span><br>
[[Tennessee|TN]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Lamar Alexander|Alexander]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Bob Corker|Corker]] (R)</span><br>
[[Texas|TX]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Kay Bailey Hutchison|Hutchison]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Cornyn|Cornyn]] (R)</span><br>
[[Utah|UT]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Orrin Hatch|Hatch]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Robert Foster Bennett|Bennett]] (R)</span><br>
[[Vermont|VT]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Patrick Leahy|Leahy]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#ffd;">[[Bernie Sanders|Sanders]] (I)</span><br>
[[Virginia|VA]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[John Warner|Warner]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jim Webb|Webb]] (D)</span><br>
[[Washington (U.S. state)|WA]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Patty Murray|Murray]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Maria Cantwell|Cantwell]] (D)</span><br>
[[West Virginia|WV]]:  <span style="background:#eef;">[[Robert Byrd|Byrd]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Jay Rockefeller|Rockefeller]] (D)</span><br>
[[Wisconsin|WI]]: <span style="background:#eef;">[[Herbert Kohl (senator)|Kohl]] (D)</span>, <span style="background:#eef;">[[Russ Feingold|Feingold]] (D)</span><br>
[[Wyoming|WY]]: <span style="background:#fee;">[[Craig Thomas (politician)|Thomas]] (R)</span>, <span style="background:#fee;">[[Mike Enzi|Enzi]] (R)</span><br>
</span>
| valign="top" nowrap|
<span style="font-size:xx-small;">
</span>
|- style="font-size:smaller; text-align:center;"
| colspan=5| <span style="font-size:x-small;"><span style="background:#fee;"> [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] </span> | <span style="background:#eef;"> [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] </span> | <span style="background-color:#ffd;"> Independent </span></span>
|}<span style="font-size: smaller;" class="autosigned">— Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/68.42.97.30|68.42.97.30]] ([[User talk:68.42.97.30|talk]]) 20:41, 8 November 2006 (UTC)</span><!-- Template:Unsigned IP -->

For retired or defeated Senators, should the current design be kept under a new [[Template:Senators of the 109th U.S. Congress]]? [[User:CrazyC83|CrazyC83]] 21:34, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

I've moved the 110th Congress one here; I already had a template prepared for here on my userpage. [[User:1ne|1ne]] 02:32, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

== (d) (r) and colors ==
Does this templete REALLY need the leter and a color for each senator. Doesn't one or the other get the point across? [[User:Cnriaczoy42|Cnriaczoy42]] 21:39, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

:This was brought up a while ago; I agree that the colors are not necessary and are redundant. --[[user:tomf688|tomf688]] ([[User talk:Tomf688|talk]] - [[Special:Emailuser/Tomf688|email]]) 00:10, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

:I disagree. I think the colors serve a useful purpose in giving a quick visual idea of the composition of the Senate. And also I think they just make it more aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps they aren't ''necessary'' but I see no reason not to have them. [[User:DanyaRomulus|DanyaRomulus]] 23:04, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

::I also think the colors are useful.  Perhaps redundant, but human beings aren't computers - some people are more visual, and the colors are interesting to them; some are more word-oriented and "(R)" and "(D)" are enough.  Unless the colors have some negative impact (it's not clear to me what that would be), I think they should stay.   [[User:John Broughton|John Broughton]]  |  [[User talk:John Broughton |Talk]] 15:38, 11 November 2006 (UTC)
:::i know this has been discussed, and since i really don't have a problem with beating dead horses, i'd like to add that i'm really hating the colours too. --[[User:emerson7|emerson7]] | [[User talk:emerson7|Talk]] 02:59, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

==Green color for Republicans==
The green color is not only horrible, but also makes no sense. The GOP should be red, not green. Who thought this was a good idea? It needs to be changed back to red as soon as possible.[[User:1.21 jigwatts|1.21 jigwatts]] 03:44, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

== Klobuchar and the DFL, et al. ==
I've changed Amy Klobuchar's party designation from DFL to D. I've done so for two reasons:

1. While no doubt the [[Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party|DFL]] has meaning for Minnesotans, it's not something most people are familiar with outside of the state.  My first impression was that it was a typo, and I almost changed it straight away.  But I thought to click Klobuchar's wiki and learned from her page of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party in Minnesota. 

2. The DFL is affiliated with the national Democratic party; and in terms of it's relationship with the national party, it doesn't seem any different than the [[North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party]], which is listed only as (D) for Sens. Dorgan and Conrad in the template. 

I considered making the (DFL) wikilink to the DFL party page, but that would have been inconsistent with the other party designations (and would have required an update to Conrad and Dorgan's affiliations as well to be consistent in showing state-specific party designations--and that didn't seem called for).

The other possibility would have been some sort of asterisk/footnote explaining the DFL, but which would have further cluttered the template and would have still left us with either the same inconsistency with the ND senators, or more clutter to make them the same way. 

(And by this point, I didn't even want to know if there were state-specific Republican Party affiliates!) -- [[User:Zen Jeff|Zen Jeff]] 10:20, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

== 111th Congress template ==
A Draft of the template for the 111th congress. I have added Kaufman and Franken in the event that either or both is a senator by that time, without removing either Biden or Coleman. 

{{Navbox with columns
 | name    = Current U.S. Senators
 | title   = [[List of current United States Senators|Current members]] of the [[United States Senate]]
 | colwidth = 25%;
 | padding = 5em
 | col1   = 
[[List of United States Senators from Alabama|AL]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Richard Shelby|Shelby]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jeff Sessions|Sessions]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Alaska|AK]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Lisa Murkowski|Murkowski]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Begich|Begich]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Arizona|AZ]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John McCain|McCain]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jon Kyl|Kyl]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Arkansas|AR]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Blanche Lincoln|Lincoln]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Pryor|Pryor]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from California|CA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Dianne Feinstein|Feinstein]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Barbara Boxer|Boxer]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Colorado|CO]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ken Salazar|Salazar]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Udall|Udall]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Connecticut|CT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Christopher Dodd|Dodd]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Independent}}>[[Joe Lieberman|Lieberman]] (I)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Delaware|DE]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Joe Biden|Biden]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Thomas R. Carper|Carper]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ted Kaufman|Kaufman]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Florida|FL]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Bill Nelson|Nelson]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mel Martinez|Martinez]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Georgia|GA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Saxby Chambliss|Chambliss]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Johnny Isakson|Isakson]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Hawaii|HI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Daniel Inouye|Inouye]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Daniel Akaka|Akaka]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Idaho|ID]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Larry Craig|Craig]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mike Crapo|Crapo]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Illinois|IL]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Dick Durbin|Durbin]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Independent}}>''vacant'' </span><br>

|col2 =
[[List of United States Senators from Indiana|IN]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Richard Lugar|Lugar]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Evan Bayh|Bayh]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Iowa|IA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Chuck Grassley|Grassley]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Tom Harkin|Harkin]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Kansas|KS]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Sam Brownback|Brownback]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Pat Roberts|Roberts]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Kentucky|KY]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mitch McConnell|McConnell]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jim Bunning|Bunning]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Louisiana|LA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mary Landrieu|Landrieu]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[David Vitter|Vitter]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Maine|ME]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Olympia Snowe|Snowe]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Susan Collins|Collins]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Maryland|MD]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Barbara Mikulski|Mikulski]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ben Cardin|Cardin]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Massachusetts|MA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ted Kennedy|Kennedy]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[John Kerry|Kerry]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Michigan|MI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Carl Levin|Levin]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Debbie Stabenow|Stabenow]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Minnesota|MN]]:
<!--<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Norm Coleman|Coleman]] (R)</span>,
--><span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Amy Klobuchar|Klobuchar]] (D)</span>,
<!--<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Al Franken|Franken]] (D)</span>-->TBD<br>
[[List of United States Senators from Mississippi|MS]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Thad Cochran|Cochran]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Roger Wicker|Wicker]] (R)</span><br/>
[[List of United States Senators from Missouri|MO]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Kit Bond|Bond]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Claire McCaskill|McCaskill]] (D)</span>

|col3 = 
[[List of United States Senators from Montana|MT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Max Baucus|Baucus]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jon Tester|Tester]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Nebraska|NE]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ben Nelson|Nelson]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mike Johanns|Johanns]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Nevada|NV]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Harry Reid|Reid]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Ensign|Ensign]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from New Hampshire|NH]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Judd Gregg|Gregg]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jean Shaheen|Shaheen]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from New Jersey|NJ]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Frank Lautenberg|Lautenberg]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Bob Menendez|Menendez]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from New Mexico|NM]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jeff Bingaman|Bingaman]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Tom Udall|Udall]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from New York|NY]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Chuck Schumer|Schumer]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Clinton]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from North Carolina|NC]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Richard Burr|Burr]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Kay Hagan|Hagan]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from North Dakota|ND]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Kent Conrad|Conrad]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Byron Dorgan|Dorgan]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Ohio|OH]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[George Voinovich|Voinovich]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Sherrod Brown|Brown]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Oklahoma|OK]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jim Inhofe|Inhofe]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Tom Coburn|Coburn]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Oregon|OR]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ron Wyden|Wyden]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jeff Merkley|Merkley]] (R)</span>

|col4 = 
[[List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania|PA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Arlen Specter|Specter]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Bob Casey, Jr.|Casey]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Rhode Island|RI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jack Reed|Reed]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Sheldon Whitehouse|Whitehouse]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from South Carolina|SC]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Lindsey Graham|Graham]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jim DeMint|DeMint]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from South Dakota|SD]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Tim Johnson (U.S. Senator)|Johnson]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Thune|Thune]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Tennessee|TN]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Lamar Alexander|Alexander]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Bob Corker|Corker]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Texas|TX]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Kay Bailey Hutchison|Hutchison]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Cornyn|Cornyn]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Utah|UT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Orrin Hatch|Hatch]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Robert Foster Bennett|Bennett]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Vermont|VT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Patrick Leahy|Leahy]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Independent}}>[[Bernie Sanders|Sanders]] (I)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Virginia|VA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jim Webb|Webb]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Warner|Warner]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Washington|WA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Patty Murray|Murray]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Maria Cantwell|Cantwell]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from West Virginia|WV]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Robert Byrd|Byrd]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jay Rockefeller|Rockefeller]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Wisconsin|WI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Herb Kohl|Kohl]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Russ Feingold|Feingold]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Wyoming|WY]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mike Enzi|Enzi]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Barrasso|Barrasso]] (R)</span>

|below=<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican (41)]]</span> • <span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic (55)]]</span> • <span {{Party shading/Independent}}>[[Independent (politician)|Independent (2)]]</span>
}}<small><span class="autosigned">—Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:MrLincoln|MrLincoln]] ([[User talk:MrLincoln|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/MrLincoln|contribs]]) 04:15, 4 December 2008 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Unsigned -->
*{{done}} I have updated the template.  I omitted Kaufman, Coleman and Franken.—[[User talk:Markles|Markles]] 17:37, 4 January 2009 (UTC)

== What about Hillary? ==
I thought Hillary resigned to become Secretary of State. She has been sworn in, and I doubt she is both the Secretary of State and the junior Senator from New York at the same time.--[[Special:Contributions/24.26.56.214|24.26.56.214]] ([[User talk:24.26.56.214|talk]]) 01:56, 22 January 2009 (UTC)
:Someone already removed it.  [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/01/21/senate-prepares-vote-clinton-confirmation/] --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 07:22, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

== Columns ==
I was thinking, rather than dividing 50 into 4 columns, it would make more sense to divide 50 into 5.  But by doing that, and reducing the padding, NJ just barely hangs on two lines...
{{Navbox with columns
 | name    = Current U.S. Senators
 | title   = [[List of current United States Senators|Current members]] of the [[United States Senate]]
 | colwidth = 20%;
 | padding = 0em
 | col1   = 
[[List of United States Senators from Alabama|AL]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Richard Shelby|Shelby]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jeff Sessions|Sessions]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Alaska|AK]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Lisa Murkowski|Murkowski]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Begich|Begich]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Arizona|AZ]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John McCain|McCain]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jon Kyl|Kyl]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Arkansas|AR]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Blanche Lincoln|Lincoln]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Pryor|Pryor]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from California|CA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Dianne Feinstein|Feinstein]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Barbara Boxer|Boxer]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Colorado|CO]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Udall|M. Udall]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Michael Bennet|Bennet]] (D) </span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Connecticut|CT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Christopher Dodd|Dodd]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Independent}}>[[Joe Lieberman|Lieberman]] (ID)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Delaware|DE]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Thomas R. Carper|Carper]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ted Kaufman|Kaufman]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Florida|FL]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Bill Nelson|C.W. Nelson]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mel Martinez|Martinez]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Georgia|GA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Saxby Chambliss|Chambliss]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Johnny Isakson|Isakson]] (R)</span><br>
 | col2   = 
[[List of United States Senators from Hawaii|HI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Daniel Inouye|Inouye]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Daniel Akaka|Akaka]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Idaho|ID]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mike Crapo|Crapo]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jim Risch|Risch]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Illinois|IL]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Dick Durbin|Durbin]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Roland Burris|Burris]] (D) </span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Indiana|IN]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Richard Lugar|Lugar]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Evan Bayh|Bayh]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Iowa|IA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Chuck Grassley|Grassley]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Tom Harkin|Harkin]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Kansas|KS]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Sam Brownback|Brownback]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Pat Roberts|Roberts]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Kentucky|KY]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mitch McConnell|McConnell]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jim Bunning|Bunning]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Louisiana|LA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mary Landrieu|Landrieu]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[David Vitter|Vitter]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Maine|ME]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Olympia Snowe|Snowe]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Susan Collins|Collins]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Maryland|MD]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Barbara Mikulski|Mikulski]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ben Cardin|Cardin]] (D)</span><br>
 | col3   = 
[[List of United States Senators from Massachusetts|MA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ted Kennedy|Kennedy]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[John Kerry|Kerry]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Michigan|MI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Carl Levin|Levin]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Debbie Stabenow|Stabenow]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Minnesota|MN]]
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Amy Klobuchar|Klobuchar]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Independent}}>''[[United_States_Senate_election_in_Minnesota,_2008|vacant]]'' </span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Mississippi|MS]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Thad Cochran|Cochran]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Roger Wicker|Wicker]] (R)</span><br/>
[[List of United States Senators from Missouri|MO]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Kit Bond|Bond]] (R)</span>
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Claire McCaskill|McCaskill]] (D)</span><br/>
[[List of United States Senators from Montana|MT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Max Baucus|Baucus]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jon Tester|Tester]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Nebraska|NE]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ben Nelson|E.B. Nelson]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mike Johanns|Johanns]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Nevada|NV]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Harry Reid|Reid]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Ensign|Ensign]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from New Hampshire|NH]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Judd Gregg|Gregg]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jeanne Shaheen|Shaheen]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from New Jersey|NJ]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Frank Lautenberg|Lautenberg]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Bob Menendez|Menendez]] (D)</span><br>
 | col4   = 
[[List of United States Senators from New Mexico|NM]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jeff Bingaman|Bingaman]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Tom Udall|T. Udall]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from New York|NY]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Chuck Schumer|Schumer]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Independent}}>''vacant'' </span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from North Carolina|NC]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Richard Burr|Burr]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Kay Hagan|Hagan]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from North Dakota|ND]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Kent Conrad|Conrad]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Byron Dorgan|Dorgan]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Ohio|OH]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[George Voinovich|Voinovich]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Sherrod Brown|Brown]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Oklahoma|OK]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jim Inhofe|Inhofe]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Tom Coburn|Coburn]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Oregon|OR]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Ron Wyden|Wyden]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jeff Merkley|Merkley]] (D)</span><br/>
[[List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania|PA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Arlen Specter|Specter]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Bob Casey, Jr.|Casey]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Rhode Island|RI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jack Reed|Reed]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Sheldon Whitehouse|Whitehouse]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from South Carolina|SC]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Lindsey Graham|Graham]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Jim DeMint|DeMint]] (R)</span><br>

|col5 = 
[[List of United States Senators from South Dakota|SD]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Tim Johnson (U.S. Senator)|Johnson]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Thune|Thune]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Tennessee|TN]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Lamar Alexander|Alexander]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Bob Corker|Corker]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Texas|TX]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Kay Bailey Hutchison|Hutchison]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Cornyn|Cornyn]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Utah|UT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Orrin Hatch|Hatch]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Robert Foster Bennett|Bennett]] (R)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Vermont|VT]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Patrick Leahy|Leahy]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Independent}}>[[Bernie Sanders|Sanders]] (I)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Virginia|VA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jim Webb|Webb]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Mark Warner|Warner]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Washington|WA]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Patty Murray|Murray]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Maria Cantwell|Cantwell]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from West Virginia|WV]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Robert Byrd|Byrd]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Jay Rockefeller|Rockefeller]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Wisconsin|WI]]:
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Herb Kohl|Kohl]] (D)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Russ Feingold|Feingold]] (D)</span><br>
[[List of United States Senators from Wyoming|WY]]:
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Mike Enzi|Enzi]] (R)</span>,
<span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[John Barrasso|Barrasso]] (R)</span>

|below=<span {{Party shading/Democratic}}>[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic (55)]]</span> • <span {{Party shading/Republican}}>[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican (41)]]</span> • <span {{Party shading/Independent}}>[[Independent (politician)|Independent (2)]]</span> • <span {{Party shading/Independent}}>''[[Vacant|Vacant (2)]]''</span>
}}<noinclude>
[[:Category:United States Senators|µ]]
[[:Category:United States Senate navigational boxes|Senate]]
</noinclude>
So is this a no go, or a wait until Lautenberg retires (assuming he's replaced by someone with fewer letters in his/her name), or some other fix I'm not thinking of? --[[User:Muboshgu|Muboshgu]] ([[User talk:Muboshgu|talk]]) 17:26, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
:Is there any particular problem with leaving it in four columns?  Additionally, I'm seeing NJ remaining on one line in both versions.  --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 20:09, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
::Interesting.  NJ hung on two lines on my work computer, and it's much worse on my home computer.  I'm not changing it, just experimenting. --[[User:Muboshgu|Muboshgu]] ([[User talk:Muboshgu|talk]]) 01:46, 27 January 2009 (UTC)
*I'm with [[User:Philosopher]].  I don't see a problem with the original.—[[User talk:Markles|Markles]] 20:18, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
:Not a major problem.  But I thought even columns are easier on the eyes and I had too much time on my hands.  No matter.--[[User:Muboshgu|Muboshgu]] ([[User talk:Muboshgu|talk]]) 01:45, 27 January 2009 (UTC)
Currently the template lists the senators in a single column, is that on purpose? [[User:TherasTaneel|TherasTaneel]] ([[User talk:TherasTaneel|talk]]) 05:20, 2 August 2019 (UTC)
Poke [[User:GoldRingChip|GoldRingChip]], being the last admin to edit. [[User:TherasTaneel|TherasTaneel]] ([[User talk:TherasTaneel|talk]]) 13:13, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
* I don't see it as one column, I see it ([https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Current_U.S._Senators&oldid=905788470 currently], see below) as three, as it was [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Current_U.S._Senators&diff=next&oldid=876702408&diffmode=source changed in January 2019]. —[[User talk:GoldRingChip|GoldRingChip]] 18:37, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
{{Current U.S. Senators|state=expanded}}
Hmm, I see it [https://a.uguu.se/L7Gq383uHbt6_examplecurrentsenatorstemplate.jpg like this]. Perhaps it's some settings box I haven't checked, because that's awful. The change which led to "my" current view were [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Current_U.S._Senators&diff=next&oldid=876693537 this], where the parameters "col" were changed to a single "list", with a "div col" not doing much to... col it. [[User:TherasTaneel|TherasTaneel]] ([[User talk:TherasTaneel|talk]]) 00:14, 6 August 2019 (UTC) Hmm, I tried just in case... to view it in explorer and chrome, which works fine, so it's a firefox thing. Guess I'll just use one of those to view templates. [[User:TherasTaneel|TherasTaneel]] ([[User talk:TherasTaneel|talk]]) 00:40, 6 August 2019 (UTC)
:Harris should be placed ''above'' Leahy. [[User:GoodDay|GoodDay]] ([[User talk:GoodDay|talk]]) 04:45, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

== Edit request from 75.203.205.194, 10 January 2011 ==
{{tld|edit semi-protected}}
Mike Lee (American politician) was recently moved to Mike Lee (Utah politician); if this template is updated, it clears redirects from 99(+?) other articles, allowing the remainder to be located and updated. Thanks in advance, & HNY2011! [[Special:Contributions/75.203.205.194|75.203.205.194]] ([[User talk:75.203.205.194|talk]]) 18:05, 10 January 2011 (UTC)

:[[File:Yes check.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Done'''<!-- Template:ESp -->! →<span class="ad-sig" style="border:3px solid goldenrod;">♠[[User:Gfoley4|<span style="cursor:crosshair; color:darkseagreen; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';">Gƒoley</span>]]↔[[User talk:Gfoley4|<u><span style="color: maroon; font-family: Papyrus">Four</span></u>]]♣</span>← 22:46, 10 January 2011 (UTC)

== Semi-protected edit request on 21 March 2021 ==

{{edit semi-protected|Template:Current U.S. senators|answered=yes}}
Change Bill Hagerty (politician) to Bill Hagerty to removed redirect link [[Special:Contributions/172.58.110.190|172.58.110.190]] ([[User talk:172.58.110.190|talk]]) 09:04, 21 March 2021 (UTC)
:[[File:Pictogram voting wait.svg|17px|link=|alt=]] '''Doing...'''<!--template:doing--> ~ [[User:Aseleste|<span style="font-family:monospace">Aseleste</span>]] ([[User talk:Aseleste|t]], [[Special:EmailUser/Aseleste|e]] &#124; [[Special:Contributions/Aseleste|c]], [[Special:Log/Aseleste|l]]) 09:19, 21 March 2021 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|20px|link=|alt=]] '''Done'''<!-- Template:ESp --> - [[Special:Diff/1013379167]] ~ [[User:Aseleste|<span style="font-family:monospace">Aseleste</span>]] ([[User talk:Aseleste|t]], [[Special:EmailUser/Aseleste|e]] &#124; [[Special:Contributions/Aseleste|c]], [[Special:Log/Aseleste|l]]) 09:21, 21 March 2021 (UTC)

== Colors (again) ==

There are multiple discussions on this talk page complaining about the colors. They are in breach of [[MOS:ACCESS]]. The grey color is particularly bad and will be essentially invisible to the vast majority of users, let alone those with disabilities. [[User:DrKay|DrKay]] ([[User talk:DrKay|talk]]) 10:51, 31 August 2021 (UTC)
:A darker shade of grey, would suffice. [[User:GoodDay|GoodDay]] ([[User talk:GoodDay|talk]]) 17:13, 31 August 2021 (UTC)
:That is why party affiliations are also in parentheses next to each officeholder. If the shade for independent officeholders is unacceptable, it can be changed at {{t|Political party color}}. [[User:WMSR|WMSR]] ([[User talk:WMSR|talk]]) 23:12, 31 August 2021 (UTC)

== Edit request January 4 2025 ==
{{edit semi-protected|answered=yes}}
Please change the president pro tempore to [[Chuck Grassley|Grassley]] (R) and put Vance before Moreno (on Ohio) because Vance is the senior senator until he becomes vice president. [[Special:Contributions/174.160.82.127|174.160.82.127]] ([[User talk:174.160.82.127|talk]]) 07:40, 4 January 2025 (UTC)

:{{done}} by [[User:DrKay]]. [[Special:Contributions/174.160.82.127|174.160.82.127]] ([[User talk:174.160.82.127|talk]]) 19:29, 4 January 2025 (UTC)

== Edit request January 9, 2025 ==

{{edit semi-protected|answered=yes}}

Please change for Indiana junior senator to [[Jim Banks|Banks]] (R), because the former Senator [[Mike Braun|Braun]] is few days away to be sworn in as [[Governor of Indiana]]. [[Special:Contributions/193.161.204.11|193.161.204.11]] ([[User talk:193.161.204.11|talk]]) 23:17, 9 January 2025 (UTC)