IA

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 23

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to abolish

the electoral college and to provide for the direct popular election of

the President and Vice President of the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 4, 1999

Mr. LAHOOD (for himself and Mr. WISE) introduced the following joint

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United

States to abolish the electoral college and to provide

for the direct popular election of the President and Vice

President of the United States.

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled

3 (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol4 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con5 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all

6 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when

7 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several
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1 States within seven years after the date of its submission

2 for ratification:

3 ‘‘ARTICLE—

4 ‘‘SECTION 1. The President and Vice President shall

5 be elected by the people of the several States and the dis6 trict constituting the seat of government of the United

7 States.

8 ‘‘SECTION 2. The electors in each State shall have

9 the qualifications requisite for electors of Senators and

10 Representatives in Congress from that State, except that

11 the legislature of any State may prescribe less restrictive

12 qualifications with respect to residence and Congress may

13 establish uniform residence and age qualifications.

14 ‘‘SECTION 3. The persons having the greatest number

15 of votes for President and Vice President shall be elected,

16 if such number be at least 40 per centum of the whole

17 number of votes cast for such offices. If no persons have

18 such number, a runoff election shall be held in which the

19 choice of President and Vice President shall be made from

20 the persons who received the two highest numbers of votes

21 for each office.

22 ‘‘SECTION 4. The days for such elections shall be de23 termined by Congress. The times, places, and manner of

24 holding such election and entitlement to inclusion on the

25 ballot shall be prescribed in each State by the legislature
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1 thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make

2 or alter such regulations. The Congress shall prescribe by

3 law the time, place, and manner in which the results of

4 such elections shall be ascertained and declared.

5 ‘‘SECTION 5. Each elector shall cast a single vote

6 jointly applicable to President and Vice President. Names

7 of candidates shall not be joined unless they shall have

8 consented thereto and no candidate shall consent to his

9 or her name’s being joined with that of more than one

10 other person.

11 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress may by law provide for

12 the case of the death of any candidate for President or

13 Vice President before the day on which the President-elect

14 or a Vice President-elect has been chosen; and for the case

15 of a tie in any election.

16 ‘‘SECTION 7. This article shall take effect one year

17 after the twenty-first day of January following ratifica18 tion.’’.

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