Congressional Bill to Set up Commission to Study How to Handle Death of a Presidential Candidate in Cases When U.S. House is Choosing the President

Congressmembers Rodney Davis (R-Illinois) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Virginia) have introduced a bill to set up a commission of constitutional scholars, to make recommendations for what should be done if no one gets an electoral college majority, and then one of the three candidates being considered for the presidency by the U.S. House dies before the House votes. Here is the text. It doesn’t have a bill number yet.

There are many problems with the U.S. presidential selection process, but most of them have answers. But the scenario mentioned in the bill has no guidelines whatsoever. However, the possibility of no one getting a majority in the electoral college, and then one of the three top candidates dies before the U.S. House votes, seems extremely unlikely. Ever since the 12th amendment passed in 1804, we have only had one presidential election in which no one got a majority of the electoral vote, after disputes about the proper electoral vote count had been settled. Thanks to Election Law Blog for this news.


Comments

Congressional Bill to Set up Commission to Study How to Handle Death of a Presidential Candidate in Cases When U.S. House is Choosing the President — 8 Comments

  1. If no one gets a majority in the electoral college, then I think the odds of one of the top candidates dying before they are selected by the House are better than average. Some people actually believe “this is the most important election of our lifetime”, and in an increasingly partisan environment, some people are going to be willing to act on it.

  2. The MONSTERS in DEVIL CITY love statutory machinations.

    ALL more reason to ABOLISH the super time bomb EC.

    —-
    UNIFORM definition of Elector/Voter in ALL of the USA
    PR – legis
    APPV – NONPARTISAN exec/judic
    TOTSOP

  3. See also 20 Amdt, Sec. 4.

    How many MORON comts in the New Age minority rule gerrymander Congress – ESP SINCE 12 AMDT IN 1804 ???

    IF-THEN
    IF-THEN
    IF-THEN

  4. If the bill wants to cover extreme contingencies, it should cover what to do if all three (no longer five) of the candidates are assassinated or refuse to wear masks indoors.

  5. Couldn’t the votes just go to a candidate’s vice presidential running mate, who could then become the presidential candidate? That candidate, or that candidate’s party (if they have one), could then appoint a new vice presidential running mate.

  6. With both major parties nominating aged candidates these days, this may be a necessary reform.

    Of course, they could just nominate younger candidates, but it seems like the Old Guard in both parties doesn’t want to let go.

  7. Average age of voters — ???

    about 55 ???

    ANY *respect* now for older folks ???

    — esp after many UN-declared WARS, grinding inflation, deficits, debts

    IE lots of political ROT being dumped on young folks.

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