The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-21
HOW A PRESIDENT Is CHOSEN.
Nearly Three Months Must Eiapse
Before Mckinley Will be Legally
Elected.

A reader Ss&s an explana-
ton Of how electors OF different
political parties can be elected from the
same state. He also wants a little
general information as to the proceed
ings of electors after they have been
chosen, says the Cincinnati Times
Star.
There is a surprising amount of mis-
information current as to presidential
elections, even though campaign has
been going on now for nearly five
months, in which every item of infor-
nation about such an election ought
to have been fully explained and UNI
derstood. There are hundreds of
thousands Of people in this country
who still entertain the idea that they
vote directly for president and vice
president, whereas they never have all
opportunity to do anything of the kind
They vote for men who vote for preS1-
dent, as they vote for members of state
legislatures who choose United States
senators.
The presidential ELECTION every four
years always takes place on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in No
vember The number of electors to
which each state is entitled is always
equal to the number of senators ana
representatives from that state. The
number of representatives to which
each state is entitled according to the
ratio Of representatives as it now OBJ
tains and will obtain until 1903 can be
determined by dividing the total pOpu-
lation by 173, SOL.
1t sometimes happens that some man
is chosen to run for eiector who has
had O. talent for making enemies and
who is therefore badly scratched on
the ticket 1t sometimes happens that
some man on the opposition ticket is
exceptionally popular throughout the
state. a case like this happened in
1892 in Ohio when one Democratic cleo
tor and twenty-five Republican cleo
tors were chosen. The electors meet on
the second Monday in January, next
following their election, at such place
as the state legislature may direct and
there they cast their several votes for
the president and vice president. This
they do by signing two certificates of
all the votes given by them, each of
which certificates must contain two
distinct lists one of the votes for pres
ident, the other for vice president.
These lists are sealed and sent to the
president OF the United States senate
at the seat of government on the sec
Ond Monday in January. They are
ACCOMPANIED by a certificate duly ex-
ecuted by the governor of the respec-
tive state, which certificate sets forth
the names of the electors and the
number and division Of votes as cast
The governors of states are required
to send a duplicate to the secretary of
state of the United States, who pub
fishes it in full in public newspaper,
sending to the senate and house each
a copy in full at their first meeting
On the second Wednesday in February
succeeding there is a joint meeting of
the senate and house called at 1 p. m.
at the hall OF the house of representa-
tiyes. the president of the senate act
ing as the presiding officer. Two tell
ers are appointed by the senate and two
by the house. The president of the
senate reads ali papers and certificates
pertaining to the electoral vote and de-
lipers them in alphabetical order to
the .tellers who read them In the pres
ence of the two houses. The result OF
this reading is then delivered to the
president of the senate, who announces
It, which announcement constitutes
cerfiiieation OF the election OF presi-
dent and vice president of the United
States.