NationStates Jolt Archive


What IF the Presidential election ends up tied?

CanuckHeaven
22-08-2008, 21:33
I have been looking at many electoral college maps over the past few months and some are interactive. I was playing around with the LA Times model and several times I figured that this election could end up tied. I really don't think it will.....I believe that McCain will win a squeaker.

However, when looking at todays electoral-vote.com map (http://electoral-vote.com), there is that tied scenario again, assuming that McCain wins Virginia:

Obama 269 McCain 256 Ties 13

http://electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Pres/Pngs/Aug22.png

I believe that only a few States allow for the splitting of their electoral votes, and that certainly could prove interesting.

However, what does happen if there truly is a TIE????

What If the Presidential Election Is a Tie (http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/electiontie.htm)?

House Selects the New President
As directed by the 12th Amendment, the 435 -- many of them brand new -- members of the House of Representatives would find as their first official duty the selection of the next President of the United States. "Welcome to Congress!"

Unlike the Electoral College system, where larger population equals more votes, each state in the House gets exactly one (1) vote when selecting the president. Even California, with its 53 Representatives, get one vote. The first candidate to win the votes of any 26 states is the new president. The 12th Amendment gives the House until the fourth day of March to select a president. Should the House fail to meet the deadline, well, more on that later.

It is up to the group, or "delegation" of representatives from each state to decide among themselves how their state will cast its one and only vote. Suddenly, smaller states like Wyoming, Montana and Vermont, with only one representative wield as much power as California or New York.
I figure that by the above formula, then McCain would win the tiebreaker 28 to 22, based on 28 red states to 22 blue states.

Thoughts?
West Pacific Asia
22-08-2008, 21:36
If it goes to a tie, they must go to Kawasaki Stadium in Japan and fight it out in an FMW style "No Ropes Barbed Wire Double Hell Landmine Deathmatch" with Atsushi Onita as the ref.
Holy Cheese and Shoes
22-08-2008, 21:37
They should let the supreme court decide; they're renowned for their good decisions.
Belschaft
22-08-2008, 21:40
They will be compeled to hand over power to me.
Conserative Morality
22-08-2008, 21:44
If it goes to a tie, they must go to Kawasaki Stadium in Japan and fight it out in an FMW style "No Ropes Barbed Wire Double Hell Landmine Deathmatch" with Atsushi Onita as the ref.

I second this motion!:D
South Lorenya
22-08-2008, 21:45
Oh, I think the results would be obvious (http://www.theonion.com/content/index/3641)...
Dontgonearthere
22-08-2008, 21:47
I second this motion!:D

But then McCain would win. Easily.
If Hollywood has taught us anything, its that old war veterans retain all of their skills for decades after their service is up. I bet McCain is a master of at least six forms of martial arts, four of which are so deadly that the US government will only teach them to politicians.
Llewdor
22-08-2008, 21:59
As directed by the 12th Amendment, the 435 -- many of them brand new -- members of the House of Representatives would find as their first official duty the selection of the next President of the United States. "Welcome to Congress!"

Unlike the Electoral College system, where larger population equals more votes, each state in the House gets exactly one (1) vote when selecting the president. Even California, with its 53 Representatives, get one vote. The first candidate to win the votes of any 26 states is the new president. The 12th Amendment gives the House until the fourth day of March to select a president. Should the House fail to meet the deadline, well, more on that later.

It is up to the group, or "delegation" of representatives from each state to decide among themselves how their state will cast its one and only vote. Suddenly, smaller states like Wyoming, Montana and Vermont, with only one representative wield as much power as California or New York.
However, what does happen if there truly is a TIE???? 22, based on 28 red states to 22 blue states.Thoughts?
Even better, the Vice-President is selected by the Senate, entirely independently of which President the House chooses.
Sdaeriji
22-08-2008, 22:01
What if the states split 25-25 for some reason?
Heeler
22-08-2008, 22:02
They should let the supreme court decide; they're renowned for their good decisions.

Better Bush, than Al Gore.
Call to power
22-08-2008, 22:05
people still vote in elections :confused:
Arroza
22-08-2008, 22:06
If it goes to a tie, they must go to Kawasaki Stadium in Japan and fight it out in an FMW style "No Ropes Barbed Wire Double Hell Landmine Deathmatch" with Atsushi Onita as the ref.

Notion thirded.
Ifreann
22-08-2008, 22:12
What if the states split 25-25 for some reason?

Thunderdome. Two men enter, the president leaves.
CanuckHeaven
22-08-2008, 22:21
Even better, the Vice-President is selected by the Senate, entirely independently of which President the House chooses.
That would be interesting.....McCain President....Obama Vice President.

Then off to Japan......
Gravlen
22-08-2008, 22:22
Thunderdome. Two men enter, Hillary leaves.

Fixed :p
Sirmomo1
22-08-2008, 22:27
What if the states split 25-25 for some reason?

McCain and Obama each get to be half of the President. Tails is top, heads is bottom as the names obviously do not suggest.

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT

how do we decide who gets to pick a side for that? I say they should flip for it

BUT WAIT
CanuckHeaven
22-08-2008, 23:56
What if the states split 25-25 for some reason?
Bush casts deciding ballot?
Holy Cheese and Shoes
22-08-2008, 23:58
Better Bush, than Al Gore.

Little difficult to prove either way, really.

Although It's fun to posit what sort of gigantic fuck-ups Gore would have to have caused to make his reign worse.
Free Soviets
23-08-2008, 00:11
I figure that by the above formula, then McCain would win the tiebreaker 28 to 22, based on 28 red states to 22 blue states.

Thoughts?

your count of state delegations is wrong. things have to go fucking perfect for the republicans to do better than control 25 state delegations in the next congress, in which case something would have gone horribly wrong for obama and he'd have lost outright. much more likely is democratic majorities in 28-30 state delegations. and it seems rather unlikely that enough dems would defect in that sort of vote if the popular vote was even vaguely close to give mccain a chance at all.
Free Soviets
23-08-2008, 00:17
What if the states split 25-25 for some reason?

they are supposed to keep voting until the come up with a winner. the deadline is in march. and if they don't figure it out before then, then obama's vice president - who will be picked by the senate as the veep, since dems are gonna hold like 55 seats at least (barring a ridiculous fuckup, in which case they will hold only 52 or 53ish) - will be the president.

and then, it would seem fairly likely to me that the promoted veep would choose obama as his (holding out hope for schweitzer, btw) veep, then resign, then be named veep again. i'm not actually sure about the constitutionality of that last move though.
Kyronea
23-08-2008, 00:19
Even better, the Vice-President is selected by the Senate, entirely independently of which President the House chooses.

Is that still true? I thought that would've been changed at some point.
CanuckHeaven
23-08-2008, 00:33
your count of state delegations is wrong. things have to go fucking perfect for the republicans to do better than control 25 state delegations in the next congress, in which case something would have gone horribly wrong for obama and he'd have lost outright. much more likely is democratic majorities in 28-30 state delegations. and it seems rather unlikely that enough dems would defect in that sort of vote if the popular vote was even vaguely close to give mccain a chance at all.
Perhaps you are right there (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives#Latest_election_results_and_party_summary). I was looking at it from a State perspective rather than a member perspective.

According to Wiki, the Dems have the majority right now in 27 States and the Republicans have 21, with two States equal.
Free Soviets
23-08-2008, 00:38
Is that still true? I thought that would've been changed at some point.

it sorta makes sense, given that its a tie
Llewdor
23-08-2008, 00:41
Is that still true? I thought that would've been changed at some point.
It was still true in 2000. If the Supreme Court hadn't decided that one in time we would have seen this exact scenario (because Florida's votes wouldn't have been cast, and thus neither Bush nor Gore would have had enough to win the Electoral College).

It was also discussed a lot in 1992 because Bill Clinton was polling third behind Bush and Perot as late as June.
Integritopia
23-08-2008, 01:09
If it ties: we'll all live through the realization of that so-so movie "Swing Vote" (Starring Kevin Costner).
Dontgonearthere
23-08-2008, 01:10
Little difficult to prove either way, really.

Although It's fun to posit what sort of gigantic fuck-ups Gore would have to have caused to make his reign worse.

Copyright the internet and declare war on any nation that allowed access without his permission? :p
New Manvir
23-08-2008, 02:14
Thunderdome!!!!!!
Nicea Sancta
23-08-2008, 02:37
In the event of a tie, Barack Obama and John McCain will duke it out in Kitchen Stadium in the highest-rated episode of Iron Chef: America ever broadcast.
Regardless of the outcome, the Vice President will be Alton Brown.
South Lizasauria
23-08-2008, 02:39
If the prezidental ellecshuns get tied subody must untie them silly. :tongue:
Hachihyaku
23-08-2008, 02:43
If the prezidental ellecshuns get tied subody must untie them silly. :tongue:

Bagsie not doing it.




.. Heh anyone here remember "bagsie"?