Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-11-18
How a President and Vice President
is Elected.

/
In some States the Electors were
chosen by the Legislature in others
their election is given direct to the
people. The latter method has be-
come universal in aN the States. The
electors, when chosen, meet in their
respective States on The first Wednes-
day of December, thatis, when a pres
| idential election occurs (Which is eve
ry fourth year, and when assembled
they are denominated the Electoral
College, and vote for one man for
President end another for Vice Presi-
dent, after which these votes are sent
to the President of the Senate of the
United States by messenger elected
for that express purpose. When this
is done the duties of the Electors are
completed-the College is dissolved,
never to meet again. Four years la
ter new College viii assemble, for
the same purpose, and to perform the
same duty. Ohio has twenty two
electors, consequently twenty two cleo
toralvotes. Anybody can vote-as for
Congressmen-for electors, for their
choice. They will be counted accord
ingly. So in other States. When these
votes reach Washington they are
counted by the Senate in the presence
of the House of Representatives, and
tits then declared who has been elected
President and Vice President of the
United States for the next four years.
The following is Article XII. of the
Constitution. 1t explains the naOdus
Operdlldi of the Electoral College
THE electors shall meet In their re-
spective States, and vote by ballot for
President and Vice President, one of
whom at least shall not be an inhabi-
tant Of the same State with themselves;
they shall name in their ballots the
person to be voted for as President and
in distinct ballots the person voted for
as Vice President and they shall
make distinct lists of all persons voted
for as President, and of all such per-
sons voted for as Vice President, and
of the number of votes for each, which
list they shall sign and certify, and
transmit sealed to the seat of the Gov
ernment OF the United States, directed
to the President of the Senate.
The President of the Senate, in the
presence of the two Houses of Con-
gress. shall count the votes, and the
person having the greatest number of
votes for President, if such number
be majority of the whole number of
electors appointed, shall be President,
and If no sueh person have such ma
jority, then from the persons having
the highest number, not exceeding
three on the list of those voted for as
President, the House of Representa-
tives shall choose Immediately by bal
lot, the President" In choosing the
President the vote shall be taken by
States. Eoch State shall have one
vote, and quorum for this purpose
shall consist of a member or members
from two-thirds of the States, and
majority of all the States shall be nee
essary to a choice. Should not the
House of Representatives choose a
President whenever the right of choice
shall devolve upon them before the 4th
of March next following, then the
Vice President shall act as President,
as in the case of death or Constitutional C
disability of the President. The per-
son having the greatest number of
votes shall be Vice President, if such
number be majority of the whole
number of electors appointed if not,
then from the two highest numbers on
the list the Senate shall choose the
Vice President Two thirds of the
Senate shallsvote. No person Consti-
tutionally ineligible to the Presidency
shall be eligible to the Vice Presidency.