Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-12-07
Electors of President.
DENT AND vICE-PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES-AN IMPORTANT ACT


Be it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the United
States of America, in Congress as
sembled, that the electors of each
State shall meet and give their votes
on the second Monday in January
next following their appointment at
such places, in each State, as the Leg
islature of such State shall direct. Sec.
2-That if any State shall have pro-
vided by laws enacted prior to the day
fixed for appointment of electors for
its final determination OF any contro-
versy or contest concerning the ap-
pointment OF all or any of the electors
of such State by judiciary or other
methods of procedure and such de-
termination shall have been made at
least six days before the time fixed for
the meeting of the electors, such de-
termination made pursuant to such
law so existing on said day and made
at least six days prisr to the said time
of meeting of the electors shall be con-
elusive and shall govern in the count
ing OF the electoral votes as provided
in the constitution and as hereinafter
regulated so far as the ascertainment
of the electors appointed by such State
is concerned. Sec. 3-That it shall be
the duty of the executive of each State,
as soon as practicable after the conclu-
sion of the appointment of electors in
such State by the final ascertainment
under and in pursuance of the laws Of
such State providing for such ascer-
tainment, to communicate under the
seal of the State to the Secretary of
State of the United States a certificate
Of such ascertainment of the electors
appointed, setting forth the names of
such electors and the canvass or other
ascertainment under the laws of such
State of the number of votes given or
cast for each person for whose ap-
pointment any and all votes have been
given or cast, and it shall also there
upon be the duty OF the executive of
each State to deliver to the electors of
such State on or before the day on
which they are required by the preced-
ing section to meet, the same certifi-
cate in triplicate, under the seal Of
the State, and such certificate shall be
enclosed and transmitted by the cleo
tors at the same time and in the same
manner as provided by law for trans
mitting by such electors to the seat of
government the list of all persons
voted for as President and all persons
voted for as vice-President, and section
1876 OF the revised statutes is hereby
repealed; and if there shall have been
any final determination in State or
controversy or contest as provided for
in section 2 of this act, it shall be the
duty Of the executive Of each State, as
soon as possible after such determina-
ton, to communicate under the seal
of State to the Secretary of State of
the United States q certificate Of such
determination in form and manner as
the same shall have been made, and
the Secretary Of State of the United
States, as soon as possible after the
receipt at the State Department of
each of the certificates hereinbefore
directed to be transmitted to the Sec
retary of State, shall be published in
such public newspaper as he shall des-
ignate such certificates in full, and at
the first meeting of Congress there
after he shall transmit to the two
houses of Congress copies in full OF
each and every such certificate so re-
ceived Heretofore at thc.State Depart
ment.
Section 4 relates to the business
transacted by the joint meeting of both
branches of Congress, which occurs on
the second Wednesday in February
succeeding every meeting OF electors.
The President of the Senate presides.
Two tellers are previously appointed
by the House and two by the Senate,
to whom shall be handed as they are
opened by the President of the Sen
ate, all the certificates, which shall be
opened and acted upon in the alpha
betical order of the States, and the
votes having been counted the result
shall be delivered to the President of
the Senate, who shall announce the
vote, which announcement shall be
deemed sufficient declaration of the
persons elected President and Vice.
President of the United States. If
more than one return shall have been
received by the President of the SEN
ate, those votes only shall be counted
which shall have been regularly given
by the electors, who are shown by the
determination mentioned in section
to have been appointed; but in case
there shall arise the question which
of two or more State authorities de-
termining what electors have been ap-
pointed is the lawful tribunal of such
State, the votes regularly given of those
electors of such State shall be counted
whose title, as electors, the two Houses
acting separately, shall concurrantly
decide is supported by the decision ol
such State so authorized by its laws
and in such cases Of more than one re-
turn, if there shall have been no de
termination of the question aforesaid
then only those votes shall be counted
which the two Houses shall decide
when cast by lawful electors, unles,
the two Houses, acting separately
shall decide such votes not to be law