Article XII:1
The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for
President and
Vice President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant 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, directed to the
President of the Senate;—The President of the Senate shall, in 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 for
President, shall be the
President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such
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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 having one vote; a quorum for this purpose 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 Representatives shall not choose a 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 President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two 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
Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice.
But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of
Vice President of the
United States.
