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If there is an inconclusive result

  • 08-03-2008 2:59pm
    #1
    Jaanus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭


    Does anyone know what the procedure would be in the US-elections if there was a succesful third candidate able to win enough seats to deny either of the so-called main-candidates the majority of the electoral college seats? I mean if the outcome of the elction was:

    Candidate A 220 electoral college seats

    Candidate B 200

    Candidate C 118

    I know that these people assemble in their respective state-capitals to cast their votes for the candidates but this is only a formality as all of them always cast their vote for the candidate who won in their state.

    Wouldn't it be so that in the scenario I painted the procedure would be so that the House of Representatives elects the president but even in taht case it wouldn't be one member one vote-basis but members would vote in terms of state-blocks. If a state X has 17 representatives and 10 of them support candidate A and 7 support candidate B then candidate A gets 17 votes?


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  • #2
    Manic Moran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,646 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manic Moran


    If all else fails, read the instruction manual.
    The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each state having one vote; A

    But I think the chances of that happening in this election are, at a rough guess, zero.
    as all of them always cast their vote for the candidate who won in their state.

    Almost all. Two (small) states split their vote proportionally. There was a move to do that in California and North Carolina as well this year, but that went nowhere. Amusingly, deafeated by Democrats in California and Republicans in NC. Nothing to do with principle, everything to do with keeping votes.
    Wouldn't it be so that in the scenario I painted the procedure would be so that the House of Representatives elects the president but even in taht case it wouldn't be one member one vote-basis but members would vote in terms of state-blocks. If a state X has 17 representatives and 10 of them support candidate A and 7 support candidate B then candidate A gets 17 votes?

    No. It comes down to the fifty states each having one equal vote.

    NTM


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