Target: Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House; Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader
Goal: Prevent electoral tie that could cause political chaos.
With a historically close presidential election that many experts deem a toss-up, the odds of a political nightmare scenario in which the candidates tie for electoral votes have moved from improbable to possible. Since 538 collective votes are up for grabs, each candidate could conceivably secure 269 electoral votes. This outcome would mean both candidates fall just short of the 270 votes needed for an electoral victory.
If this scenario were to ever unfold, an even more controversial process called a contingent election would take place. During this process, the House of Representatives would ultimately vote for a presidential winner while the Senate would vote for the vice president. Theoretically, a president could be appointed from one party while the vice-presidential running mate of the defeated candidate could be installed as vice president. The amount of chaos this outcome could create is troubling enough. But the prospect of leaving the nation’s highest offices in the hands of politicians who would most likely vote along party lines goes against the very concept of a government of, by, and for the people.
Sign the petition below to demand elected leaders take steps to ensure this important decision is never taken away from voters.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Speaker Johnson and Senator Schumer,
Before the ratification of the 12th Amendment, presidents can and did face the possibility that they would have a vice president whose political values were in stark contrast to their own. This disruptive practice marred the presidency of John Adams and created the need for a decisive change. The same vulnerability still exists within the electoral college today, as a tie in the system would necessitate a contingent election that could see the appointments of a president and a vice president from opposing parties.
The possibility of an electoral tie creates a much greater conundrum, however, as the votes of tens of millions of Americans would ultimately be disenfranchised while Congress chooses the leaders of this nation. Partisanship and distrust would only skyrocket, and American democracy might never recover. Please urgently address this glaring gap in the electoral system and devise a better path forward that keeps elections in the hands of the people.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Sora Shimazaki
74 Signatures