| Amendment XII |
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| The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for |
| President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an |
| inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their |
| ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person |
| voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all |
| persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as |
| Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall |
| sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the |
| United States, directed to the President of the Senate; |
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| 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; |
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| The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the |
| President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors |
| appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having |
| the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as |
| President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, |
| the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by |
| states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this |
| purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, |
| and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the |
| House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of |
| choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next |
| following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of |
| the death or other constitutional disability of the President. |
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| The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be |
| the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of |
| Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two |
| highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a |
| quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of |
| Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. |
| But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be |
| eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States. |
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