Summary

Revises the presidential election procedures.

History and Context

The original method for electing a President was a recipe for chaos. Each elector cast two votes, with the top vote-getter becoming President and the runner-up becoming Vice President. This system imploded in the election of 1800. Thomas Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, ended up with the same number of electoral votes, creating a constitutional crisis that had to be resolved by the House of Representatives. The Twelfth Amendment was created to prevent this disaster from ever happening again. It separated the election of the President and Vice President, ensuring that electors would cast one distinct vote for each office. It was a crucial fix that recognized the reality of partisan politics and the rise of political parties, something the framers had not anticipated.

Key Figures