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AxionExcel

(755 posts) Mon Mar 21, 2016, 09:42 AM Mar 2016

Civics 101 Quiz: What if?

OK, what if Trump does get tossed under the Republican bus at the convention and runs as an Independent. Could happen. Maybe even, for the sake of argument, Bernie also decides to run as an independent. Whatever.

In any event, if in the general election no candidate (Dem., Repub, or I) gets a sufficient number of electoral college votes, does that mean that the lame duck Republican Congress gets to pick the next President?

?

8 replies

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Civics 101 Quiz: What if? (Original Post) AxionExcel Mar 2016 OP

Sounds like a lot of work hereforthevoting Mar 2016 #1

I don't see Trump doing that Baobab Mar 2016 #2

well, he always brags about going to Wharton B-school, and UPenn is an Ivy League CTyankee Mar 2016 #4

No, the newly-elected House of Representatives would pick the next President in that case. PoliticAverse Mar 2016 #3

Whew - thanks AxionExcel Mar 2016 #6

Congress will choose both. Agnosticsherbet Mar 2016 #5

No - it means the NEW Congress picks the President...with complications brooklynite Mar 2016 #7

In quite a few states, neither could run as an independent Maeve Mar 2016 #8

hereforthevoting

(241 posts)

1. Sounds like a lot of work

Reply to AxionExcel (Original post)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 09:44 AM

Mar 2016

Baobab

(4,667 posts)

2. I don't see Trump doing that

Reply to AxionExcel (Original post)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 09:47 AM

Mar 2016

He seems lazy, remember he told us that everything he knows he learned on the Internet.

Did he even ever go to college?

CTyankee

(63,912 posts)

4. well, he always brags about going to Wharton B-school, and UPenn is an Ivy League

Reply to Baobab (Reply #2)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 09:52 AM

Mar 2016

school, but I dunno about his undergrad school...

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

3. No, the newly-elected House of Representatives would pick the next President in that case.

Reply to AxionExcel (Original post)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 09:50 AM

Mar 2016

Last edited Mon Mar 21, 2016, 11:02 AM - Edit history (2)

The newly-elected Senate would choose the Vice-President.

Amendment XII

The electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;--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 for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing 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. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

(post updated with text from 12th Amendment)

AxionExcel

(755 posts)

6. Whew - thanks

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #3)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 10:13 AM

Mar 2016

At least there is a ray of hope, should the independent campaigns scenario play out. I needed that.

Agnosticsherbet

(11,619 posts)

5. Congress will choose both.

Reply to AxionExcel (Original post)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 10:07 AM

Mar 2016

Republicans are gong to control the House, so t hey choose the President.
The Senate gets to choose the VP.

brooklynite

(94,679 posts)

7. No - it means the NEW Congress picks the President...with complications

Reply to AxionExcel (Original post)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 10:17 AM

Mar 2016

in 2017, Congress will certify the results of the Electoral College votes. If no candidate has an absolutely majority, it falls to the House to vote BY STATE DELEGATIONS (not as individuals) for the President, and the Senate to vote AS INDIVIDAUALS for the VP.

That said, shifting to an Independent campaign AFTER the Convention would be virtually impossible; only chance would be to grab the nomination of a third Party that already has ballot access.

Maeve

(42,287 posts)

8. In quite a few states, neither could run as an independent

Reply to AxionExcel (Original post)

Mon Mar 21, 2016, 10:20 AM

Mar 2016

Many, like Ohio, have "sore loser" laws that preclude someone from running third-party after failing to win a party's nomination. Yeah, they could sue, but....

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