IA 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 19 
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 5, 2017 
Mr. COHEN (for himself 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 Presi-
dent 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 Presi-
dential candidates from out of State; 
Whereas the development of mass media and the Internet has 
made information about Presidential candidates easily ac-
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•HJ 19 IH 
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 dis-
covered 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 citi-
zens to vote regardless of race; 
Whereas the 19th Amendment guarantees the right of all citi-
zens to vote regardless of gender; 
Whereas the 26th Amendment guarantees the right of all citi-
zens 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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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-
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: 
‘‘ARTICLE — 
‘‘SECTION 1. The President and Vice President shall 
be elected by the people of the several States and the dis-
trict constituting the seat of government of the United 
States. 
‘‘SECTION 2. The electors in each State shall have 
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most popu-
lous branch of the legislature of the State; although Con-
gress may establish uniform age qualifications. 
‘‘SECTION 3. Each elector shall cast a single vote for 
two persons who have consented to the joining of their 
names as candidates for President and Vice President. No 
elector shall be prohibited from casting a vote for a can-
didate for President or Vice President because either can-
didate, or both, are inhabitants of the same State as the 
elector. 
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‘‘SECTION 4. The pair of candidates having the great-
est number of votes for President and Vice President shall 
be elected. 
‘‘SECTION 5. The times, places, and manner of hold-
ing such elections and entitlement to inclusion on the bal-
lot shall be determined by Congress. 
‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress may by law provide for 
the case of the death or any other disqualification of any 
candidate for President or Vice President before the day 
on which the President-elect or Vice President-elect has 
been chosen; and for the case of a tie in any election. 
‘‘SECTION 7. This article shall take effect one year 
after the first day of January following ratification.’’. 
Æ 
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