Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-06-01
Msrner Of E-eo,ing the President and
Vice President Of the United States.

The President and Vice President of the
United States are chosen rs follows: Each
State appoints, in such manner as the Leg
islature thereof may direct, number Of
Electors equal to the whole number of Scna-
tors and Representatives to which the State
is entitled in Congress-; but no Senator or
Representatives, or person holding any office
Of trust or profit under the United States,
can be appointed an Elector.
Congress determines the time of choosing
the Electors, and the day upon which they
shall give their votes; which day must be
the same throughout the United States. Tho
Legislature of each State may directly choose
the Electors itself, or refer the choice to the
people Nearly all tho State Legislatures
have adopted the latter course, which is
thought to be preferable to the former, as
giving less opportunity for the employment
of corrupt influences.
When chosen, the Electors meet in their
respective States, and vote by ballot for Presi-
dent, and Vice President, one of whom, at least,
must not be an inhabitant of the same State
with themselves. They must name in their
ballots the persons voted for as President, in
distinct ballots the persons voted for as Vice
President. They must make distinct lists ofall
persons voted for President, and all persons
voted for as Vice President, and Of the num-.
bcr of votes for each, which lists they must
sign and certify, and transmit, scaled to the
scat Of Government of the United States, di-
rected to the President Of the Senate.
The President Of the Senate is required, in
the presence of the Senate and House Of
Representatives, to open all the certificatcs,'
and the votes must then be counted. The
person having the greatest number Of votes
for President is the President, if such num-
Der be majority Of the whole number Of
Electors appointed and if no person have
such majority, then from the persons having
the highest numbers, not exceeding three, on
the list of those voted for as President, the
House Of Representatives must chooee inlmc~
diately, by ballot, the President. But in
choosing the President, the votes are taken
by States, the representation from each State
having one vote. A quorum for the purpose
consists of a member or members from two
thirds Of the States, and a majority Of all the
States is necessary to choice.
If the House Of Representatives do not
choose a President whenever the right Of
choice dcyolves upon them, before the fourth
day of March next following, then the Vice
President acts as President, as in case of the
death or other constitutional disability Of the
President.
The person having the greatest number Of
votes as Vice President is the Vice President,
If such number be q majority Of the whole
number of Electors appointed, and If no per-
son have majority, then from the two high
est numbers on the list, the Senate chooses
the Vice President. A quorum for the pur-
pose consists Of two.thirds of the whole num-
bcr of Senators, and majority Of the whole
number is necessary to choice. But no
person constitutionally ineligible to the Office
Of President can be eligible to that Of Vice
President Of the United States.