What happens if...

[Dingfod]

From this link:

January 6, 2005 - Counting of Electoral Votes: Congress meets in a joint session to count the electoral votes. Any member of Congress may challenge any electoral vote. If this occurs, the House and Senate must vote on whether to accept or reject the vote. A simple majority vote of both chambers is required to reject an electoral vote.

I love it when I'm right. It happens so infrequently.

Oh yeah, the new Congress is seated Jan. 3rd.

[wade-w]

Originally Posted by warrenly

From this link:

I love it when I'm right. It happens so infrequently.

Oh yeah, the new Congress is seated Jan. 3rd.

OK. My only concern about the answer was when does the new Congress get seated. If no candidate wins a clear majority, then the House is required to immediately begin their own voting process. Each state gets one vote, and to win a candidate must get a majority (i.e. 26) of the votes. Which is interesting, since theoretically even with a majority Republican House if the distribution of Democrats to Republicans is just right a tie in the Electoral College could still give Kerry the Presidency.

Unlikely, but fun to fantasize about.

[Dingfod]

That is unlikely given that the majority of states have Republican representation. The Democrat states are more populous, but that's not how they vote it, it is by state, just as fucked up as the Electoral College. So, it is still possible that Kerry wins a majority of the votes nationwide, ends up tied in the Electoral votes and then loses to Bush in the House, even if by chance Democrats are in the majority there. However, the Senate votes by simple majority for Veep, so if Dems control it, Edwards could win. We sure wouldn't want a tie there too, because Cheney, being President of the Senate would cast the tie-breaker. Imagine him not voting for himself.

[wade-w]

I think we're saying the same thing here, warrenly. Since the vote in the House is by state, if the distribution of one party to the other in each state's delegation is just right, then it might not matter who has majority control of the House.

[Dingfod]

Right. I say we junk the whole thing and go to direct election of the president of Oceana.

[Petra]

Here's an article by the BBC that addresses this, also.

I haven't read it, yet...just about to, but thought I'd just pop it in here for y'all, too.

Oops. Forgot the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3955757.stm

[Petra]

Okay, read it now.

It's a short, but informative article that takes a few different scenarios into account. Good read.