The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-07-18
THURSDAY. JULY Is. 1912.
HOW PRESIDENTS AND VICE
PRESIDENTS ARE ELECTED.

The voters of The union d. not vote
directly for president and vice presi-
lent.
Each state provides for the choos-
ing of electors and each state is en-
titled to elect one ~elector for earh
congressional district in said state. or
for each congressional representative
the state is entitled to: also two cleo
tors at large from each state. and it
Is these electors that are voted for by
the citizens of the respective states.
The candidates for electors are
nominated under state laws in some
states, and in other states under party
rules and regulations.
State laws. or state party rules.
cover the naming of the electors in
every state in the union.
The legal number of electors tho
state is entitled to receiving the high
est number of votes at the presiden-
tial election in November become the
electors of the state and form the
electoral college of the state.
There is no law compelling the
electors to vote for the candidates
for president and vice president that
are named upon the ticket, or tickets.
Article XII of the federal constitu-
tional amendments. declared in force
September 25, 1904. provides as fol-
lows:
Section 1. The electors shall meet
in their respective states and vote. by
ballot. for president and vice presi-
dent. one Of whom at least shall not
be an inhahitant of the same state
with themselves.
They shall name in their ballots
the person 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 persons
voted for as vice president. and of
the number of votes for each. which
lists they shall sign and certify and
transmit, sealed, to the seat Of the
government of the United States, di-
rected to the president of the senate.
THE president of the senate shall,
in the presence of the senate and
house OF representatives. open all the
be counted.
The person having the greatest
number of votes for president shall
be h president. if such number be
q 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 shall choose
Immediately. by ballot. the president.
But in choosing the president. the
votes shall be taken by states. the
representation from each state hav-
ing n vote; 4 quorum for his pur
pose shall consist of a member or
members from two-thirds of the
states, and a majority of all the states
shall be necessary to a choice.
And if the house of representa-
tives shall not choose A president,
whenever the right of choice devolves
upon them. before the fourth Of
March next following, then the vice
president shall act as president as In
the case of the death or other con-
st%ttutional disability of the president.
Sec. 2. The person having the
greatest umbe of votes as vice
president shall he the vice president.
II such number be A majority of the
whole number of electors appointed:
and If no person have a majority,
then from the W. highest numbers
on the list the senate shall choose the
vice president.
"A quorum for the purpose shall
consist of two-thirds of the whole
number of senator's, and a majority OF
the whole number shall be necessary
to a choice. ="
In case Of the removal, death, res
1gnation. or inability Of both the
president and vice president, the
presidential succession act. passed by
the F%orty-ninth congress-. in 1886
provides that the secretary of state
shall act as president until the disa-
bility Of the president or vice presi.
dent Is removed. or a president
elected.
If there be no secretary Of state,
then the secretary Of the treasury
shall act; and the order of succession
Is: Secretary of war. attorney gen.
eral. postmaster general. secretary
OF the navy. and the secretary Of the
interior.
This act applies only to such cab.
met officers as shall have been APP
pointed by the consent Of the senate
and are eligible under the constitu-
ton to the presidency.
Upon taking office the acting presi-
dent must congress, if it Is
not at that time in session, in extra.
ordinary session. giving notice OF
twenty days.
The electoral colleges Of the several
states meet on the first Wednesday OF
January after the presidential cleo
ton.
The congress meets in joint session
to count the votes on the second Wed.
nesday Of the February following.
nuyu, NJ nu,CcrynN