US Election 2004
What if the election ends in a tie?
AFP, Washington
The US presidential election, which is decided by the 538-member Electoral College, has the potential of ending in a 269-269 tie, which could throw the race into the US House of Representatives. The 538 electors are divided among the 50 US states and the nation's capital, Washington. In 48 of the 50 US states, the candidate who wins the state's popular vote wins all of the electoral votes from the state. In most states, electors are bound to vote for the candidate who wins the popular vote but in 21 states they are not obliged to do so. After Tuesday's election, there will be six weeks during which the parties can attempt to convince an unbound elector to switch sides. There have been only 10 such "faithless" electors over the past 200 years, however. The Electoral College members will convene in each state's capital on December 13 and, if they emerge still tied 269-269, the election will go to the House of Repzesentatives. Each state delegation in the House will be given one vote. President George W. Bush's Republican Party is favored to retain its majority in the House following Tuesday's election and the incumbent would defeat Democratic rival John Kerry if the election ended up in the chamber. Republicans presently outnumber Democrats in 30 state congressional delegations. The Democrats control 15 while the others are split evenly and would abstain from the vote. A candidate must win 26 votes to become president. The Senate, where the Republicans currently have a slim majority, picks the new vice president.
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