Idaho County free press., 1924-07-31

will receive majority OF the elect0r
+ al votes at the fall election bein;
9 discussed, interest develops on tn,
manner of election of president b,
: the house of representatives of th'
a | United States This procedure hai
only been necessary twice in the his
tory of the country. In such event
the president is chosen under prOvi
sions of the twelfth amendment tC
: the constitution, which has not beer
employed beyond its initial provisions
for exactly 100 years. Following is
the amendment:
Twelfth Amendment
"The electors shall meet in their re-
spective states and vote by ballot for
president and vice president, ono Of
whom at least shall not be an in
habitant of the same state with them
selves; they shall name in t2seir bal
lot the person voted for as president,
and in district 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 list
they shall sign and certify, and trans
init, sealed to the seat of government
of the United States, directed to the
president of the senate; the president
pf the senate shall in the presence Of
the senate and house of representa-
tives, open all the certificates, and the
votes shall then be counted; and the
person having the greatest number Of
votes for president shall be the presi-
dent, if such number be majority of
the whole number of electors ap-
vointed; and If no person have such
majority, then from the persons hay
ing the highest numbers, not exceed
ing three, on the list of those voted
for as president, the house of repre-
sentatives shall choose Immediately,
by ballot, the president. But in choos-
ing the president the votes shall be
taken by states, the representation Of
each state having one vote; q quorum
for this purpose shall consist of q
member or members from two-thirds
of the states and majority of the
states shall be necessary to a choice.
And If the house of representatives
Shall not choose president, whenever
the right of choice shall devolve upon
them, before the fourth day of March
next following, then the vice president
shall act as president as in the case
of the death or other constitutional
disability of the president The person
having the greatest number of votes as
vice president shall be the vice presi-
dent if such number be a majority of
the whole number of electors ap-
pointed and if no person have a ma s
fhn fxx-r, III 4
bers on the list the senate shall choose {
the vice president; quorum for the
purpose shall consist Of two-thirds of &
The whole number of senator's and a
majority of the whole number shall c
be necessary to a choice. But no
person constitutionally ineligible to g
he office Of president shall be elig- S
BILE to that of vice president of the {
United States" Il
Amendment i'm Brief
In other words to put the twelfth :
amendment briefly:
If no candidate has majority of
ne electoral votes, the president is
lected by the majority Of the house
L representatives, each state delega-
ion having one vote.
If the house Of representatives fails
elect by March 4, then the vice
resident automatically becomes presi-
ent, provided he has received ma
Ority of the electoral votes.
If no candidate for vice president
as received a majority of the elector-
votes then the senate shall choose
Inn from the two candidates receiving
ne highest number of electoral votes.
There are 531 votes in the electoral
ollege. A majority, therefore, con-
sts of 266 votes. States which the
aFOllette forces have claimed that
leir candidate can carry, with the
rength in electoral votes, are: Wis
'nsin 13; Minnesota, IL; North Da-
)ta, o; South Dakota, g.; Montana,
Nebraska, 8; Idaho, 4; and wy
ming, 3. This gives a total of 81
ectoral votes.
Regular Democratic States
The following states under ordinary
could be counted upon
vote for the Democratic candidate:
ALBANIA, -; Arkansas, 8; Florida,
Georgia, IA; Louisiana, 10; Mary
nd, g; Mississippi, 10; North Caro-
"a, II; South Carolina, 8; Texas, 20:
d Virginia, r. This gives the
candidate q total of 122
ctoral votes.
All the additional electoral votes
sded by the LaFollette group and
, Democratic candidate to prevent
:. Coolidge receiving a majority
uld be 80. 1t is conceivable that
se might be obtained from the
lbtful states, including New York.
Ohio, "a; Kentucky, 13; Tennes-
, 12; Missouri, IS; Oklahoma, 10:
nsas, 10, not to mention others
h Democratic or LaFollette lean.
s.
here have been only two occas-
5 in the history Of the United
tes where the election of a presi-
{ has been thrown into the house
representatives. The first was I'm
0, when the Federalists had lost
sympathy Of the country and the
'ublican party, later called the
nocratic party, was under the lea
ship of Thomas ,Jefrersou At
time under the constitution
e was no election of n vice r,rosi-