IA
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 86
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing
for direct popular elections of the President and the Vice President,
establishing a day for elections for the offices of the President, the
Vice President, Senator, and Representative, and providing for primaries
to nominate candidates for the offices 1 month before the elections.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 2, 1995
Mr. JACOBS 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 providing for direct popular elections of the Presi-
dent and the Vice President, establishing a day for elec-
tions for the offices of the President, the Vice President,
Senator, and Representative, and providing for primaries
to nominate candidates for the offices 1 month before
the elections.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled
(two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol-
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lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all
intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several
States within 7 years from the date of its submission by
the Congress:
‘‘ARTICLE —
‘‘SECTION 1. The Congress shall by law provide for
national primaries in which the people of the several
States and the District constituting the seat of Govern-
ment of the United States nominate candidates for Presi-
dent and Vice President. The national primaries shall be
held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in Septem-
ber of the years preceding the years in which the terms
of the President and the Vice President begin.
‘‘SECTION 2. The Congress shall by law provide for
national elections of the President and the Vice President
by the people of the several States and the District con-
stituting the seat of Government of the United States. The
elections shall be held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st
Monday in October of the years in which the national pri-
maries are held pursuant to section 1. Each candidate
whose name appears on the ballot in an election of the
President and the Vice President shall have been nomi-
nated in a primary held pursuant to this article.
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‘‘SECTION 3. The Congress shall by law provide for
primaries in which the electors in a State who have the
qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous
branch of the State legislature nominate candidates for
Senator to represent the State in the Congress. The pri-
maries shall be held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Mon-
day in September of the years preceding the years in
which a term for which a Senator was elected to represent
the State in the Congress expires. The elections for the
seat to be vacated at the expiration of the term shall be
held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in October
of the years in which the primaries are held. Each can-
didate whose name appears on the ballot in an election
of a Senator shall have been nominated in a primary held
pursuant to this article.
‘‘SECTION 4. The Congress shall by law provide for
primaries in which the electors in a congressional district
of a State who have the qualifications requisite for electors
of the most numerous branch of the State legislature
nominate candidates for Representative to represent the
district in the Congress. The Congress shall by law provide
for primaries in which the electors in a State who have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numer-
ous branch of the State legislature and whose Representa-
tives are elected at large nominate candidates for Rep-
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resentative to represent the State in the Congress. The
primaries shall be held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st
Monday in September of the years preceding the years in
which the terms of Representatives begin. The elections
for Representatives shall be held on the 1st Tuesday after
the 1st Monday in October of the years in which the pri-
maries are held. Each candidate whose name appears on
the ballot in an election of a Representative shall have
been nominated in a primary held pursuant to this article.
‘‘SECTION 5. This article shall not apply to a special
election held to fill a vacancy in the representation of a
State in the Congress.
‘‘SECTION 6. This article shall apply to the selection
of a President and Vice President whose terms begin on
the 20th day of January of a year that occurs more than
3 years after the year in which this article becomes valid
as part of the Constitution.
‘‘SECTION 7. This article shall apply to the selection
of a Senator or Representative whose term begins on the
3d day of January of a year that occurs more than 1 year
after the year in which this article becomes valid as part
of the Constitution.’’.
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