diff --git a/cassandra/cluster.py b/cassandra/cluster.py
index e23a7491..3a96b5a8 100644
--- a/cassandra/cluster.py
+++ b/cassandra/cluster.py
@@ -2,14 +2,17 @@
 This module houses the main classes you will interact with,
 :class:`.Cluster` and :class:`.Session`.
 """
-
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 import logging
 import socket
 import sys
 import time
 from threading import Lock, RLock, Thread, Event
-import Queue
+
+import six
+from six.moves import xrange
+from six.moves import queue as Queue
+
 import weakref
 from weakref import WeakValueDictionary
 try:
@@ -51,6 +54,9 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     from cassandra.io.asyncorereactor import AsyncoreConnection as DefaultConnection  # NOQA
 
+## Python 3 support #########
+#############################
+
 # Forces load of utf8 encoding module to avoid deadlock that occurs
 # if code that is being imported tries to import the module in a seperate
 # thread.
@@ -1060,7 +1066,7 @@ class Session(object):
 
         prepared_statement = None
 
-        if isinstance(query, basestring):
+        if isinstance(query, six.string_types):
             query = SimpleStatement(query)
         elif isinstance(query, PreparedStatement):
             query = query.bind(parameters)
diff --git a/cassandra/connection.py b/cassandra/connection.py
index d8275042..a1c42c2e 100644
--- a/cassandra/connection.py
+++ b/cassandra/connection.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import errno
 from functools import wraps, partial
 import logging
 from threading import Event, RLock
-from Queue import Queue
+
+from six.moves.queue import Queue
 
 from cassandra import ConsistencyLevel, AuthenticationFailed, OperationTimedOut
 from cassandra.marshal import int8_unpack, int32_pack
diff --git a/cassandra/cqltypes.py b/cassandra/cqltypes.py
index 012ba500..192e0187 100644
--- a/cassandra/cqltypes.py
+++ b/cassandra/cqltypes.py
@@ -22,10 +22,9 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from uuid import UUID
 import warnings
 
-try:
-    from cStringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError:
-    from StringIO import StringIO  # NOQA
+import six
+from six.moves import cStringIO as StringIO
+from six.moves import xrange
 
 from cassandra.marshal import (int8_pack, int8_unpack, uint16_pack, uint16_unpack,
                                int32_pack, int32_unpack, int64_pack, int64_unpack,
@@ -35,7 +34,12 @@ from cassandra.util import OrderedDict
 
 apache_cassandra_type_prefix = 'org.apache.cassandra.db.marshal.'
 
-_number_types = frozenset((int, long, float))
+## Python 3 support #########
+if six.PY3:
+    _number_types = frozenset((int, float))
+else:
+    _number_types = frozenset((int, long, float))
+#############################
 
 try:
     from blist import sortedset
@@ -482,7 +486,7 @@ class DateType(_CassandraType):
 
     @classmethod
     def validate(cls, date):
-        if isinstance(date, basestring):
+        if isinstance(date, six.string_types):
             date = cls.interpret_datestring(date)
         return date
 
@@ -624,7 +628,7 @@ class _SimpleParameterizedType(_ParameterizedType):
 
     @classmethod
     def serialize_safe(cls, items):
-        if isinstance(items, basestring):
+        if isinstance(items, six.string_types):
             raise TypeError("Received a string for a type that expects a sequence")
 
         subtype, = cls.subtypes
@@ -733,7 +737,7 @@ class ReversedType(_ParameterizedType):
 
 
 def is_counter_type(t):
-    if isinstance(t, basestring):
+    if isinstance(t, six.string_types):
         t = lookup_casstype(t)
     return issubclass(t, CounterColumnType)
 
diff --git a/cassandra/decoder.py b/cassandra/decoder.py
index d806a28a..28aaa99a 100644
--- a/cassandra/decoder.py
+++ b/cassandra/decoder.py
@@ -2,10 +2,8 @@ import logging
 import socket
 from uuid import UUID
 
-try:
-    from cStringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError:
-    from StringIO import StringIO  # ignore flake8 warning: # NOQA
+from six.moves import cStringIO as StringIO
+from six.moves import xrange
 
 from cassandra import (Unavailable, WriteTimeout, ReadTimeout,
                        AlreadyExists, InvalidRequest, Unauthorized)
@@ -17,6 +15,8 @@ from cassandra.cqltypes import (AsciiType, BytesType, BooleanType,
                                 InetAddressType, IntegerType, ListType,
                                 LongType, MapType, SetType, TimeUUIDType,
                                 UTF8Type, UUIDType, lookup_casstype)
+import six
+
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ class BatchMessage(_MessageType):
         write_byte(f, self.batch_type.value)
         write_short(f, len(self.queries))
         for string_or_query_id, params in self.queries:
-            if isinstance(string_or_query_id, basestring):
+            if isinstance(string_or_query_id, six.string_types):
                 write_byte(f, 0)
                 write_longstring(f, string_or_query_id)
             else:
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ def read_binary_string(f):
 
 
 def write_string(f, s):
-    if isinstance(s, unicode):
+    if isinstance(s, six.text_type):
         s = s.encode('utf8')
     write_short(f, len(s))
     f.write(s)
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ def read_longstring(f):
 
 
 def write_longstring(f, s):
-    if isinstance(s, unicode):
+    if isinstance(s, six.text_type):
         s = s.encode('utf8')
     write_int(f, len(s))
     f.write(s)
diff --git a/cassandra/encoder.py b/cassandra/encoder.py
index ae1873a1..5662ff45 100644
--- a/cassandra/encoder.py
+++ b/cassandra/encoder.py
@@ -4,9 +4,14 @@ import datetime
 import sys
 import types
 from uuid import UUID
+import six
 
 from cassandra.util import OrderedDict
 
+if six.PY3:
+    unicode = str
+    long = int
+
 
 def cql_quote(term):
     if isinstance(term, unicode):
@@ -78,13 +83,10 @@ def cql_encode_all_types(val):
 
 cql_encoders = {
     float: cql_encode_object,
-    buffer: cql_encode_bytes,
     bytearray: cql_encode_bytes,
     str: cql_encode_str,
-    unicode: cql_encode_unicode,
     types.NoneType: cql_encode_none,
     int: cql_encode_object,
-    long: cql_encode_object,
     UUID: cql_encode_object,
     datetime.datetime: cql_encode_datetime,
     datetime.date: cql_encode_date,
@@ -96,3 +98,10 @@ cql_encoders = {
     frozenset: cql_encode_set_collection,
     types.GeneratorType: cql_encode_list_collection
 }
+
+if six.PY2:
+    cql_encoders.update({
+        buffer: cql_encode_bytes,
+        unicode: cql_encode_unicode,
+        long: cql_encode_object,
+    })
diff --git a/cassandra/io/asyncorereactor.py b/cassandra/io/asyncorereactor.py
index f3f9f4e4..a89d09a6 100644
--- a/cassandra/io/asyncorereactor.py
+++ b/cassandra/io/asyncorereactor.py
@@ -7,16 +7,14 @@ import sys
 from threading import Event, Lock, Thread
 import time
 import traceback
-import Queue
+
+from six.moves import queue as Queue
+from six.moves import cStringIO as StringIO
+from six.moves import xrange
 from errno import EALREADY, EINPROGRESS, EWOULDBLOCK, EINVAL, EISCONN, errorcode
 
 import asyncore
 
-try:
-    from cStringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError:
-    from StringIO import StringIO  # ignore flake8 warning: # NOQA
-
 try:
     import ssl
 except ImportError:
@@ -381,7 +379,7 @@ class AsyncoreConnection(Connection, asyncore.dispatcher):
             return waiter.deliver(timeout)
         except OperationTimedOut:
             raise
-        except Exception, exc:
+        except Exception as exc:
             self.defunct(exc)
             raise
 
diff --git a/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py b/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py
index be5fbc9b..ce9da427 100644
--- a/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py
+++ b/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ import socket
 from threading import Event, Lock, Thread
 import time
 import traceback
-import Queue
+
+from six.moves.queue import Queue
+from six.moves import cStringIO as StringIO
+from six.moves import xrange
 
 from cassandra import OperationTimedOut
 from cassandra.connection import (Connection, ResponseWaiter, ConnectionShutdown,
@@ -25,10 +28,6 @@ except ImportError:
         "for instructions on installing build dependencies and building "
         "the C extension.")
 
-try:
-    from cStringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError:
-    from StringIO import StringIO  # ignore flake8 warning: # NOQA
 
 try:
     import ssl
@@ -436,7 +435,7 @@ class LibevConnection(Connection):
             return waiter.deliver(timeout)
         except OperationTimedOut:
             raise
-        except Exception, exc:
+        except Exception as exc:
             self.defunct(exc)
             raise
 
diff --git a/cassandra/murmur3.c b/cassandra/murmur3.c
index 3617819d..5526d008 100644
--- a/cassandra/murmur3.c
+++ b/cassandra/murmur3.c
@@ -202,6 +202,11 @@ initmurmur3(void)
 
 #else
 
+PyMODINIT_FUNC
+PyInit_murmur3(void)
+{
+
+}
 /* Python 3.x */
 // TODO
 
diff --git a/cassandra/policies.py b/cassandra/policies.py
index 44fdae23..a5ff5458 100644
--- a/cassandra/policies.py
+++ b/cassandra/policies.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ from threading import Lock
 
 from cassandra import ConsistencyLevel
 
+from six.moves import xrange
+
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
diff --git a/cassandra/pool.py b/cassandra/pool.py
index 974b803a..1bbd1f1f 100644
--- a/cassandra/pool.py
+++ b/cassandra/pool.py
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ class HostConnectionPool(object):
     def _create_new_connection(self):
         try:
             self._add_conn_if_under_max()
-        except (ConnectionException, socket.error), exc:
+        except (ConnectionException, socket.error) as exc:
             log.warn("Failed to create new connection to %s: %s", self.host, exc)
         except Exception:
             log.exception("Unexpectedly failed to create new connection")
diff --git a/cassandra/query.py b/cassandra/query.py
index 323e885d..0cde646a 100644
--- a/cassandra/query.py
+++ b/cassandra/query.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 import re
 import struct
 import time
+import six
 
 from cassandra import ConsistencyLevel, OperationTimedOut
 from cassandra.cqltypes import unix_time_from_uuid1
@@ -354,7 +355,7 @@ class BatchStatement(Statement):
         Statement.__init__(self, retry_policy=retry_policy, consistency_level=consistency_level)
 
     def add(self, statement, parameters=None):
-        if isinstance(statement, basestring):
+        if isinstance(statement, six.string_types):
             if parameters:
                 statement = bind_params(statement, parameters)
             self._statements_and_parameters.append((statement, ()))
diff --git a/cassandra/util.py b/cassandra/util.py
index 0b52e8b2..6e2aa84a 100644
--- a/cassandra/util.py
+++ b/cassandra/util.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import with_statement
 
-from UserDict import DictMixin
-
 try:
     from collections import OrderedDict
 except ImportError:
@@ -28,6 +26,7 @@ except ImportError:
     #     WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
     #     FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
     #     OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+    from UserDict import DictMixin
 
     class OrderedDict(dict, DictMixin):  # noqa
         """ A dictionary which maintains the insertion order of keys. """
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 1f4212c2..762b6e22 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 blist
 futures
 scales
+six >=1.6
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 9fddd960..a9443b6f 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def run_setup(extensions):
         kw['cmdclass']['build_ext'] = build_extensions
         kw['ext_modules'] = extensions
 
-    dependencies = ['futures', 'scales', 'blist', 'six']
+    dependencies = ['futures', 'scales', 'blist', 'six >=1.6']
     if platform.python_implementation() != "CPython":
         dependencies.remove('blist')
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/io/test_asyncorereactor.py b/tests/unit/io/test_asyncorereactor.py
index 5f00c22d..d63b4507 100644
--- a/tests/unit/io/test_asyncorereactor.py
+++ b/tests/unit/io/test_asyncorereactor.py
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@ except ImportError:
 
 import errno
 import os
-try:
-    from StringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError:
-    from io import StringIO
+
+from six.moves import StringIO
+
 import socket
 from socket import error as socket_error
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py b/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py
index 5490b549..a1c0c876 100644
--- a/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py
+++ b/tests/unit/io/test_libevreactor.py
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@ except ImportError:
 
 import errno
 import os
-try:
-    from StringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError:
-    from io import StringIO
+
+from six.moves import StringIO
+
 from socket import error as socket_error
 
 from mock import patch, Mock
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_connection.py b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
index fa0ee925..74af32da 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
@@ -3,10 +3,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     import unittest # noqa
 
-try:
-    from StringIO import StringIO
-except ImportError:
-    from io import StringIO
+from six.moves import StringIO
 
 from mock import Mock, ANY
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py b/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py
index 975ef386..43f566d4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_parameter_binding.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import six
-
 try:
     import unittest2 as unittest
 except ImportError:
@@ -10,8 +8,7 @@ from cassandra.query import PreparedStatement, BoundStatement
 from cassandra.cqltypes import Int32Type
 from cassandra.util import OrderedDict
 
-if six.PY3:
-    xrange = range
+from six.moves import xrange
 
 
 class ParamBindingTest(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_policies.py b/tests/unit/test_policies.py
index 0cafbc75..0e85b2ae 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_policies.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_policies.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import six
-
 try:
     import unittest2 as unittest
 except ImportError:
@@ -24,8 +22,7 @@ from cassandra.policies import (RoundRobinPolicy, DCAwareRoundRobinPolicy,
 from cassandra.pool import Host
 from cassandra.query import Statement
 
-if six.PY3:
-    xrange = range
+from six.moves import xrange
 
 
 class TestLoadBalancingPolicy(unittest.TestCase):