A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to abolish the electoral college and to provide for the direct election of the President and Vice President of the United States.

IA 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 17 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to abolish the electoral college and to provide for the direct election of the President and Vice President of the United States. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES APRIL 2, 2019 Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, and Mrs. GILLI- BRAND) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to abolish the electoral college and to provide for the direct election of the President and Vice Presi- dent of the United States. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 1 of the United States of America in Congress assembled 2 (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol- 3 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con- 4 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 5 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 6 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:03 Apr 03, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SJ17.IS SJ17 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •SJ 17 IS States within seven years after the date of its submission 1 for ratification: 2 ‘‘ARTICLE — 3 ‘‘SECTION 1. The President and Vice President shall 4 be elected by the people of the several States, the terri- 5 tories, and the district constituting the seat of government 6 of the United States. 7 ‘‘SECTION 2. The electors in each State, territory, 8 and the district constituting the seat of government of the 9 United States shall have the qualifications requisite for 10 electors of the most populous branch of the legislature of 11 the State, territory, or the district, respectively. 12 ‘‘SECTION 3. Each elector shall cast a single vote for 13 two persons who have consented to the joining of their 14 names as candidates for President and Vice President. 15 ‘‘SECTION 4. The pair of candidates having the great- 16 est number of votes for President and Vice President shall 17 be elected. 18 ‘‘SECTION 5. The times, places, and manner of hold- 19 ing such elections and entitlement to inclusion on the bal- 20 lot shall be determined by Congress. 21 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress may by law provide for 22 the case of the death or any other disqualification of any 23 candidate for President or Vice President before the day 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:03 Apr 03, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SJ17.IS SJ17 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •SJ 17 IS on which the President-elect or Vice President-elect has 1 been chosen; and for the case of a tie in any election. 2 ‘‘SECTION 7. This article shall take effect one year 3 after the first day of January following ratification.’’. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:03 Apr 03, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SJ17.IS SJ17 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS