Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/527

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1%ECORDS OF THE FEDE1LAL CONVENTION ?2I Thursday MADISON September 6 "and certify, 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 majority of the whole "number of the Electors appointed) and if there be more "than one who have such majority, and have an equal num- "ber of votes, then the House of representatives shall imme- "diately choose by 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 like 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 Members 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: and the manner of "certifying and transmitting their votes--But the election "shall be on the same day throughout the United States" MADISON Thursday Sepr. 6. I787 ? In Convention Mr. King and Mr. Gerry moved to insert in the (5) clause of the Report (see Sept 4) after the words "may be entitled in the Legislature" the words following--"But no person shall be appointed an elector who is a member of the Legis- lature of the U.S. or who holds any office of profit or trust under the U.$." which passed hem: con: