A scenario

[TexasBama]

I don't recall the specifics, but there is a scenario in the election where neither Bush nor Kerry gets 270 electoral votes. In this case, the house decides on the Prez. The newly elected senate, possibly a democrat majority, would decide the veep.

Bush/Edwards results.

 

[TexasBama]

Looks like this 269-269 scenario is still in play; however, the senate looks to be a net gain of 2-4 for the Repubs, so I guess Edwards would be out of luck.

 

[BamaNLouisville]

Do you have a link for that scenario? Given how this election has gone so far, that would be about par for the course.

 

[goallinestand78]

No, if its 269-269 the House decides both President and Vice President. The House has to vote by state delegations, with each state getting one vote. Here is a link to the Constitution:

http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html. See Article II, Section 1, Clause 3.

 

[BamaNLouisville]

Am I reading that right in that the second-place guy in the House vote will be VP? In essence, Bush could be Pres. and Kerry VP?

 

[TexasBama]

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment12/

No. The House decides prez, senate veep

 

[BamaNLouisville]

As I was a Geography major and less-than-versed in Constitutional rhetoric, I will trust what you good people have told me.

God knows it reads like Greek to me, unless it be a two-thirds quorum of Cyrillic, in which I shall chuse the majority wherefore, and so on, and so on...

 

[goallinestand78]

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment12/

No. The House decides prez, senate veep

Not necessarily. Here is what it says:
"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 chuse 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 chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President. "

In other words, the number two vote-getter in the House vote becomes VP, but if there is a tie for second place, the Senate breaks the tie.

 

[goallinestand78]

Oops, sorry TexasBama, I was writing in haste and relied on the text I had found without opening your link. I forgot about the 12th amendment, you are right about the Senate.

:redface:

 

[Bamaro]

If Bush wins and Edwards is VP, what would Dubya do without the head puppeteer to pull his strings? :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[Bamalaw92]

If Bush wins and Edwards is VP, what would Dubya do without the head puppeteer to pull his strings? :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Are you saying that Edwards would be an obstructionist Veep?