IA 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 14 

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

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

and Vice President of the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 11, 2021 

Mr. COHEN (for himself, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. 

BROWNLEY, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. GARAMENDI, and Mr. 

COOPER) 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 election of the President and Vice President of the United States. 

Whereas the Founders of the Nation established the electoral 

college in an era of limited nationwide communication 

and information sharing; 

Whereas the electoral college is premised on an antiquated 

theory that citizens will have a better chance of knowing 

about electors from their home States than about Presidential candidates from out of State; 

Whereas the development of mass media and the internet has 

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cessible to United States citizens across the country and 

around the world; 

Whereas citizens now have a far better chance of knowing 

about out-of-State Presidential candidates than about 

Presidential electors from their home State; 

Whereas Thomas Jefferson wrote, ‘‘I am not an advocate for 

frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and 

institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of 

the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more 

enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the 

change of circumstances, institutions must advance also 

to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a 

man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy 

as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of 

their barbarous ancestors.’’; 

Whereas since the Nation’s founding, United States citizens 

have amended the Constitution to expand the opportunity 

for citizens to directly elect their elected leaders; 

Whereas the 15th Amendment guarantees the right of all citizens to vote regardless of race; 

Whereas the 19th Amendment guarantees the right of all citizens to vote regardless of gender; 

Whereas the 26th Amendment guarantees the right of all citizens 18 years of age and older to vote regardless of age; 

Whereas the 17th Amendment establishes both a precedent 

and a preference for the direct election of citizens’ elected 

representatives; and 

Whereas the electoral college has become an anachronism: 

Now, therefore, be it 


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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 

8 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

9 for ratification: 

10 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

11 ‘‘SECTION 1. 

12 ‘‘The President and Vice President shall be elected 

13 by the people of the several States and the district consti14 tuting the seat of government of the United States. 

15 ‘‘SECTION 2. 

16 ‘‘The electors in each State shall have the qualifica17 tions requisite for electors of the most populous branch 

18 of the legislature of the State; although Congress may es19 tablish uniform age qualifications. 

20 ‘‘SECTION 3. 

21 ‘‘Each elector shall cast a single vote for two persons 

22 who have consented to the joining of their names as can23 didates for President and Vice President. No elector shall 

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1 dent or Vice President because either candidate, or both, 

2 are inhabitants of the same State as the elector. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 4. 

4 ‘‘The pair of candidates having the greatest number 

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

6 ‘‘SECTION 5. 

7 ‘‘The times, places, and manner of holding such elec8 tions and entitlement to inclusion on the ballot shall be 

9 determined by Congress. 

10 ‘‘SECTION 6. 

11 ‘‘The Congress may by law provide for the case of 

12 the death or any other disqualification of any candidate 

13 for President or Vice President before the day on which 

14 the President-elect or Vice President-elect has been cho15 sen; and for the case of a tie in any election. 

16 ‘‘SECTION 7. 

17 ‘‘This article shall take effect one year after the first 

18 day of January following ratification.’’. 

Æ 


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