Can a Vice Presidential Candidate Really Be Elected President? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

In certain scenarios, a Vice-Presidential candidate can become President of the United States, either through an electoral tie or by the House of Representatives or the Senate electing them.

Key Insights

• 🐕‍🦺 The television show VEEP accurately portrays the potential procedural complexities of a Vice-Presidential candidate becoming President.
• 🥺 An electoral tie could occur if no candidate receives the required 270 electoral votes, leading to a House of Representatives election.
• 🥳 The Senate has the power to elect the Vice-President separately, allowing for the possibility of a Vice-President from a different party becoming President.

Transcript

The season five finale of HBO’s Emmy-award winning comedy VEEP sure seemed like a Hollywood fantasy. Through a series of wacky situations, hilarious gaffes and complicated procedures, an obscure Vice-Presidential candidate was elected by the incumbent Vice-President to be the President of United States. Seems far-fetched, right? Well, no, not at a... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How can a Vice-Presidential candidate become President of the United States?

If no candidate receives the required 270 electoral votes, the election goes to the House of Representatives, where each state delegation gets one vote. They can elect a Vice-Presidential candidate as President.

Q: Has an electoral tie ever occurred?

Yes, in the 1824 election, an electoral tie was produced due to third and fourth candidates. The House of Representatives ultimately elected John Quincy Adams as President.

Q: Can the Senate elect a Vice-President from a different party than the President?

Yes, the 12th amendment allows for separate voting for President and Vice-President. If the House elects a President and the Senate is deadlocked, they can elect a Vice-President from a different party.

Q: What happens if both the House and Senate elect their respective offices, but they are from different parties?

If the Speaker of the House becomes President due to a deadlock in the Senate, it is possible for both the House and Senate to elect their respective offices from different parties, resulting in a mixed-party White House.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The HBO comedy VEEP accurately portrays a scenario where an obscure Vice-Presidential candidate is elected as President through complicated congressional procedures.

• If no candidate gets the required 270 electoral votes, the election is sent to the House of Representatives, where each state delegation gets one vote.

• The Senate can also elect the Vice-President in a separate election, meaning they could become President if the House is deadlocked.