Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/579

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RECORDS OF THE FEDE1LAL CONVENTION COMMITTEE OF STYLE Legislature of the United States, or who holds any office of profit or trust under the United States. The Electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by ballot for two Persons of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves.- and they shall make a list of all the Persons voted for, and of the number o� votes for each, which list they shall sign and cer- tify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the general Government, directed 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 certificates and the votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President (if such number be a majorit 7 of the whole num- ber of the Electors appointed) and if there be more than one who have such a majq.r. lty, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of representatives shall immediately choose b 7 ballot one of them for President, the representation from each State having one vote--But if no Person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list, the House of representatives shall, in llke manner, choose by' ballot the President--In the choice of a President by the House of representatives a quorum shall consist of a Member or Mem- bers from two thirds of the States, and the concurrence of a majority of all the States shall be necessary to such choice. --and, in every case after the choice of the President, the Person having the greatest number of votes of the Electors shall be the vice-President: But, if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them the Vice President The Legislature may determine the time of chusing the Electors and of their giving their votes- But the election shall be on the same day throughout the United States The Legislature may declare by law what officer of the United States shall act as President in case of the death, resig- nation, or disability of the President and Vice President; and such Officer shall act accordingly, until such disability be removed, or a President shall be elected