Opinion ID: 774302
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Elections Clause of the United States Constitution

Text: 15 The Elections Clause of the United States Constitution states: 16 The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators. 17 U.S. Const. art. I, § 4, cl. 1. Likewise the counterpart to the Elections Clause for the Executive Branch provides: The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States. Id. art. II, §1, cl. 3. 18 On numerous occasions the Supreme Court has expounded the meaning of these clauses. Under the Elections Clause, the states are given[] and in fact exercise wide discretion in the formulation of a system for the choice by the people of representatives in Congress. United States v. Classic, 313 U.S. 299, 311 (1941). The power of the States to prescribe the times, places and manner for electing federal representatives encompasses nearly every procedural facet of a federal election. 19 It cannot be doubted that these comprehensive words embrace authority to provide a complete code for congressional elections, not only as to times and places, but in relation to notices, registration, supervision of voting, protection of voters, prevention of fraud and corrupt practices, counting of votes, duties of inspectors and canvassers, and making and publication of election returns; in short, to enact the numerous requirements as to procedure and safeguards which experience shows are necessary in order to enforce the fundamental right involved . . . . All this is comprised in the subject of times, places and manner of holding elections[.] 20 Smiley v. Holm, 285 U.S. 355, 366 (1932). Of course, Congress can override state election regulations pursuant to its power to make or alter such regulations. Cook v. Gralike, 531 U.S. 510, 121 S. Ct. 1029, 1038 (2001). This make or alter power sweeps broadly. Ex Parte Siebold, 100 U.S. 371, 387 (1879) (Congress, by its power to make or alter the regulations, has a general supervisory power over the whole subject[.]). The phrase 'such regulations' plainly refers to regulations of the same general character that the legislature of the State is authorized to prescribe with respect to congressional elections. In exercising this power, the Congress may supplement these state regulations or may substitute its own. Smiley, 285 U.S. at 366-67. In short, the Elections Clause of the Constitution is a default provision; it invests the States with responsibility for the mechanics of congressional elections, but only so far as Congress declines to preempt state legislative choices. Foster v. Love, 522 U.S. 67, 69 (1997) (citations omitted). 21 By creating a congressional check on the power of the States to regulate federal elections, the Framers sought to curb the potential for abuses by the States and to give the nascent national government the power to preserve itself. U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, 514 U.S. 779, 808-09 (1995) (collecting quotes from James Madison, Gouverneur Morris, and Alexander Hamilton expressing concern that by regulating federal elections the States could manipulate their outcome or cripple the functioning of the national government). See also id. at 863, 894, 115 S. Ct. 1842 (Thomas, J., dissenting) (providing additional evidence from other contemporaneous writings that the make or alter power afforded Congress the means to support the national government and prevent dissolution of the Union). Without a congressional override the Framers feared that the existence of the federal government would depend upon the willingness of the States to hold federal elections. Id. See alsoThe Federalist No. 59 (Alexander Hamilton). Additionally, for the Framers federal uniformity assured that States did not conspire to time elections so as to deprive Congress of a quorum. 9 Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution 920 (J. Kaminski & G. Saladino eds., 1990) (arguing that if the States chose the times for holding congressional elections there might have been as many times of choosing as there are States, and such intervals might elapse between the first and last election, as to prevent there being a sufficient number to form a House) (remarks of George Nicholas at the Virginia ratifying convention). Accordingly, the Elections Clause gives Congress the capacity to prescribe both the date and the mechanics of congressional elections. Thornton, 514 U.S. at 894 (Thomas, J., dissenting). Other Framers justified the Clause on the ground that federal elections should be held on the same day throughout the United States, to prevent corruption or undue influence. 2 Elliot's Debates 535 (J. Elliot ed., 1937) (remarks of Thomas McKean at the Pennsylvania ratifying convention). 1