There is a great deal at stake in the 2024 presidential election, and many reasons this cycle is unique in American history. Our politics have become so divided that a handful of voters in a small number of swing states may decide control of both the House and the Senate, and the outcome of the presidential electors tally.
In the low probability but high impact case of an electoral college tie, or if one or several states refuse to certify a winner and thus deny any candidate enough electoral votes, several key House races could prove critical to the balance of political power in Washington, D.C., and the future of our politics.
The Constitution stipulates that if no candidate wins a majority (270) of Electoral College votes, the determination of the president goes to the House of Representatives and the determination of the vice president to the Senate, in a procedure known as a “ contingent election .”
Under the 12th Amendment , the House would choose among the three candidates who received the most electoral votes and cast their ballots not as individual members, but rather, as state delegations. To win, a candidate would need the support of a majority (26) of the state delegations. If no candidate receives a majority, the vice president will act as president.