What Happens If There's a Tie in Electoral College in Presidential Election 2024?
The 2024 presidential election is happening this week, and early polling suggests that it’s going to be a tight race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
As a result, citizens are wondering what could happen if no one can secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidential election, tying at 269 electoral votes.
That has not happened in the modern era, but there are a few potential paths that the two could possibly end the race tied at 269 electoral votes.
Keep reading to find out more…
In the event of a tie, Congress would decide the next president in what is called a “contingent election.”
“Each state, regardless of population, casts a single vote for President in a contingent election,” according to the Congressional Research Service. That means the group of House members from each state would choose among the three candidates with the most Electoral College voters, and the candidate with the majority of states would win, via NBC News.
The newly elected Congress taking office in January would vote in that scenario.
Republicans currently have majority control in 26 state delegations, while Democrats have majority control from 22 delegations. Two states, Minnesota and North Carolina, are tied. Members of Congress would not be required to vote for their party’s candidate.
Although Washington, D.C. has three electoral votes in the presidential election, it would not have a vote in the House in a contingent election because it is not a state.
The vice president is then selected by a full vote of the Senate, with each senator casting their vote for one of the two vice presidential candidates with the most electoral votes.
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