National Nightmare -- Dead Heat Electoral College

The New Yorlk Times ^ | 10-24-04 | New York Times

[Basilides]

The latest state presidential election poles (Real Clear Politics) are close enough in certain key states that the nightmare scenario of a tied Electoral College vote is no longer in the realm of highly improbable.

Go the NYT interactive site for the Electoral College map "Presidential Calculator" and even if you punch in other poll numbers into their map and ignore their numbers, its very easy to come up with an Electoral College dead heat.

If Iowa, PA, Florida, Ohio go Kerry, and Minn., WI, and MI go Bush....we got a tie !

What the heck happens then !!??

[Basilides]

Please talk me down on this...this election campaign has to end soon....and I know it will...but the prospect of Kerry in the White House January 2005, and the incredibly weakened position the US will be in starting Nov. 3rd 2004, if there is a tie, has my underwear in a great big bunch.

[T'wit]

The House of Representatives would elect the President.

[mrsmel]

If there's a tie,doesn't Congress vote to break the tie?

[SmithL]

The newly-elected House of Representatives would elect the President.

[Galtoid]

If we haven't trusted Old Media for the last ten years, why--oh why--should we trust their freakin' polls?
Just start to think logically on this.
I'm sure there is good polling data out there, but it doesn't reside in anything connected to the alphabets, papers, or magazines.
Here's a hint: Guess which pollster is ranked number one for accuracy? MASON-DIXON.
Go to them if you want to know the real numbers.
Don't rely on Time/WSJ/NBC/ABC/WaPo, etc.
They have agendas. M-D does not.

[Basilides]

Phew !! (Wipes brow)

Wait a minute...we will win the House won't we...I haven't paid any attention to Congressional races !!??

[Diogenesis]

The New York Times wants Judge Marge Marshall to decide who is President
based upon her marriage to the New York Times.

But IF there is a tie, the House will do just fine.

[KAUAIBOUND]

Then Congress decides and we win - no problem. What is a greater concern is Soros bribing an elector or two to change to Kerry. Now that is a problem. CWII will result.

[Phocion]

It's not a national nightmare; it's a condition the Constitution clearly describes, and that has been used in the past.

It's only a nightmare for liberals, because Bush would win.

[WhiteGuy]

A tie would never be allowed to happen.

One or more electoral votes would cross the asile.

It's no secret who those people are, it would be quite easy to "prevent" a tie.

[Question Liberal Authority]

If neither candidate gets a majority of the Electoral College, then the Presidential election goes to the House of Representatives, with each state getting one vote. In that case, Bush would win about 30 to 20.

The Vice President would be voted in by the Senate. In this case, it is likely that Dick Cheney would win at least 51-49. If it is a tie, then the President of the Senate (who is Dick Cheney) will cast the deciding vote.

This is actually the way the Founding Fathers thought the Presidential election would ALMOST ALWAYS be handled. There were no political parties and it was inconceivable that any one person would get a majority of votes in the Electoral College.

[MNJohnnie]

Please talk me down on this...this election campaign has to end soon....and I know it will...but the prospect of Kerry in the White House January 2005, and the incredibly weakened position the US will be in starting Nov. 3rd 2004, if there is a tie, has my underwear in a great big bunch.


Actually a tie in the electoral college is almost impossible. If Bush wins Florida it is all most impossible for Kerry to win. If Bush loses Florida it is going to be very very hard for him to win. So Florida is the key. EVEN if they tied in the Electoral college, the House of Representative decides the election and it is controlled by Republicans so Bush wins.

This is just more of the usual election drama queen behavior from the MSM. They cannot stand the fact that they become largely irrelevant again after Nov 2nd. Right now, like most spoiled brats, they are glorying in being the center of attention. They want to keep the drama going so everyone keeps paying attention to them. For better or worse we will have a President by morning Nov 3rd. The 2000 election is an abnormality not the norm.

[Merry]

This is the NY Times wish that Kerry is doing better then they know that he is. I don't believe on thing that newspaper says.

[magellan]

The House of Representatives would elect the President.

Yes, but I believe each state delegation only gets one vote. So Alaska, with on representative, gets the same vote as California, with over fifty. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.

The incoming Senate elects the Vice President.

[hlmencken3]

This has been covered on FR in depth several times.

For example, see
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1196363/posts

and note that no matter how many times it's explained, some still don't get it.

Bottom line: MORE than 90% chance of Bush second term.

[MNJohnnie]

If Iowa, PA, Florida, Ohio go Kerry, and Minn., WI, and MI go Bush....we got a tie

Ah no, actually we do not. We have Bush 271, Kerry 268 not a tie.

[Basilides]

Thanks Question....a tie is a slam dunk for us...I'm back on terra firma and my pulse is regular....Never Mind !

[Oblongata]

The RCP map as it stands right now, is the best it's ever been for bush.

Not a single blue state anywhere in the midwest, except for Illinois. Kerry has lost his lead in many more states thatn he has gained on Bush. If this trend continues for just a few more days, this election is over.

[Basilides]

Not according to the NYT "Presidential Calculator"...where did they screw up ?

[tobyprissy]

The present house would vote not the newly elected