IA 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 65 

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 7, 2017 

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 

GARAMENDI, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. VELA, 

Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. HUFFMAN, 

Mr. POCAN, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. ESPAILLAT, 

and Mr. DEFAZIO) submitted 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 (two3 thirds of each House concurring therein), 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This joint resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Every Vote 

3 Counts Amendment’’. 

4 SEC. 2. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. 

5 The following article is proposed as an amendment 

6 to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be 

7 valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitu8 tion when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of 

9 the several States within seven years after the date of its 

10 submission for ratification: 

11 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

13 be elected by the people of the several States and the dis14 trict constituting the seat of Government of the United 

15 States. 

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

17 the qualifications requisite for electors of Senators and 

18 Representatives in Congress from that State, except that 

19 the legislature of any State may prescribe less restrictive 

20 qualifications with respect to residence and Congress may 

21 establish uniform residence and age qualifications. 

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

23 of votes for President and Vice President shall be elected. 

24 ‘‘SECTION 4. Each elector shall cast a single vote 

25 jointly applicable to President and Vice President. Names 

26 of candidates may not be joined unless they shall have conVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:15 Feb 08, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ65.IH HJ65

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1 sented thereto and no candidate may consent to the can2 didate’s name being joined with that of more than one 

3 other person. 

4 ‘‘SECTION 5. The Congress may by law provide for 

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

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

7 or Vice President-elect has been chosen, and for the case 

8 of a tie in any election. 

9 ‘‘SECTION 6. This article shall apply with respect to 

10 any election for President and Vice President held after 

11 the expiration of the 1-year period which begins on the 

12 date of the ratification of this article.’’. 

Æ 


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