November 1st 2024.
As the highly anticipated US election draws near, all eyes are on the two main contenders: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. With the polls showing a close race between the two, one question has been on everyone's minds - what happens if there is a tie in the presidential election?
A tie occurs when neither candidate is able to secure the required 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency. In this scenario, the US Constitution dictates that the decision is then handed over to the House of Representatives, as stated in Article II Section 1 Clause 3.
To break the tie, each House representative is required to cast their vote for the candidate of their choice. The candidate who receives the majority of the votes wins the presidency. However, it's important to note that each state is only given one vote, regardless of its population. This means that states with multiple representatives must conduct an internal poll to determine their decision, with the winner needing to secure at least 26 out of the 50 delegation votes.
According to the Congressional Research Service, this internal poll would also include newly elected members of Congress who would be sworn in on January 6, 2025. This means that the House would have to wait until these members are officially sworn in before casting their vote.
In the unlikely event that a president is still not elected by inauguration day on January 20, the vice president-elect would be required to serve until a candidate is chosen. This situation is rare, as there have only been two ties in the history of US presidential elections.
The first tie occurred in 1800, when both candidates received 73 electoral votes and the decision was sent to the House of Representatives. It took 36 rounds of voting before Thomas Jefferson was declared the winner. The second tie happened in 1824, when frontrunner Andrew Jackson failed to secure the majority and the decision was once again passed to the House. This time, John Quincy Adams was elected instead.
To better understand the US presidential election process, it's important to know what the Electoral College is. This is a group of 538 electors who are responsible for casting their votes on behalf of their state. The winner of the popular vote in each state receives all of that state's electoral votes, with the exception of Maine and Nebraska where the votes are divided based on the popular vote in each congressional district.
With the US election only days away, the outcome is uncertain. One thing is for sure - all eyes will be on the Electoral College and the possibility of a tie. To stay informed on the latest news, download the 9NEWS app for breaking news, sports updates, political coverage, and weather alerts sent straight to your smartphone. Available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
