Text 36944, 72 rader
Skriven 2016-10-05 00:15:04 av Lee Lofaso (2:203/2)
Ärende: USA Elections
=====================
Hello Everybody,

A very confused Belgian sysop had a few questions
to ask his American friends, who likewise are almost
just as confused as he is -

                -=begin quote=-

It is not to be excluded that come Nov.8th neither Clinton nor
Trump will get 271 electoral votes if Gary Jones does well enough.

I understand that in this case the House elects the President and
Paul Ryan gets his place in history.

Therefor I'm wondering about 2 things:

1] Does the House get to elect anyone to the office? Or do they
  have to limit themselves to known candidates?

2] I seem to remember that also parts of the House are up for
  [re-]election.  So who gets to vote? The outgoing House or the
  incoming one?

Thank you anyone for clearing this up.

                 -=end quote=-

A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the presidential
election.  If no candidate receives the required 270 electoral
votes, the top three candidates are considered by the incoming
House of Representatives, with each state delegation having one
vote.  In order to win, a candidate must receive a majority, or
26 votes if all state delegations are present.  At minimum, a
majority of two-thirds (quorum) of all state delegations.  The
choice must be made before March 4.

The choice between two top candidates (not three) for vice
president goes to the incoming Senate, with each Senator having
one vote.  A majority, or 51 votes, is needed to win, if all 100
members are present.  At minimum, a majority of two-thirds (quorum)
of all Senators.  There is no deadline for the Senate to make
its choice.

At present, Republicans control 33 state delegations, Democrats
control 14, with three other states being tied.  The most likely
scenario if no candidate gets 270 electoral votes would be for
Donald Trump to be selected President by the House (Republicans
are predicted to retain control of the House), and Tim Kaine
to be selected by the Senate (Democrats are predicted to win
control of the Senate).

Things get a bit confusing if no majority is reached for president
and/or vice president.  The House could tie or fail to reach a
decision in regards to making its choice.  If no choice is made
by the deadline of March 4, the House no longer has any say.
The Senate could tie or fail to reach a decision in regards to
making its choice.  But since there is no deadline, the Senate
can afford to bide its time.  With both the House and the Senate
tied or indecisive, the Speaker of the House becomes acting
president due to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.
Which will undoubtedly spur Democrats to action, returning
Bill Clinton to the throne for a new first term.

I won't even go into the executive order in 1967 made by LBJ
declaring himself president rather than acting president, as
that brings up a few constitutional questions that nobody has
any real answers to.

--Lee

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 * Origin: news://eljaco.se (2:203/2)