Eleanor Finch
The 12th and 23rd Amendments to the US Constitution are two of the 27 amendments that have been made since the Constitution was first ratified in 1791. The 12th Amendment, ratified in 1804, outlines the process for electing the President and Vice President, including the role of the House of Representatives and the Senate in this process. The 23rd Amendment, ratified in 1961, gives citizens of Washington, D.C., the right to vote in presidential elections, despite the district not being a state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| 12th Amendment | Establishes rules for the election of the President and Vice President |
| Specifies the terms of the President, Vice President, Senators and Representatives | |
| Supersedes a portion of Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution | |
| Supersedes a portion of Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution | |
| 23rd Amendment | Grants residents of Washington, D.C. the right to vote in presidential elections |
| Allocates to Washington, D.C. electoral votes equal to the number of the least-populated state | |
| Does not grant representation in Congress |
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What You'll Learn
- The 12th Amendment supersedes a portion of Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution
- The 12th Amendment outlines the election of the President
- The 23rd Amendment was ratified in 1961
- The 23rd Amendment grants Washington, D.C. residents the right to vote in presidential elections
- The 12th Amendment supersedes a portion of Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution
The 12th Amendment supersedes a portion of Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution
The Twelfth Amendment supersedes the procedure for electing the President and Vice President outlined in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3 of the Constitution. Before the Twelfth Amendment, the Electoral College operated under the procedure prescribed by the original Constitution. This procedure stated that each elector would cast two votes for President, with no distinction between votes for President and Vice President. The person who received a majority of votes would become President, and the runner-up would become Vice President. However, this process led to issues and concerns, particularly when political parties emerged and sought to manipulate the system to their advantage.
The Twelfth Amendment was proposed and ratified to address these problems. It changed the procedure by requiring electors to cast distinct votes for President and Vice President. It stipulates that "the persons voted for as President and Vice-President shall be the only ones eligible to those offices." This amendment ensures that the President and Vice President are elected separately, preventing a ticket with two presidential candidates from the same state and enhancing the integrity of the electoral process.
The amendment also establishes procedures for elections where no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes. In such cases, the House of Representatives would choose the President, with each state delegation having one vote. To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority of state votes. Similarly, the Senate would choose the Vice President if no candidate received a majority of electoral votes. Each Senator would cast one vote, and the candidate with the most votes would become Vice President.
By superseding a portion of Article II, Section 1, the Twelfth Amendment provides a more efficient and orderly process for electing the President and Vice President. It resolves issues that arose under the original electoral procedure and ensures that the President and Vice President are elected separately and with due consideration. The amendment also outlines a clear path for resolving electoral ties or scenarios where no candidate receives a majority, contributing to the overall stability and effectiveness of the electoral system in the United States.
Additionally, the Twelfth Amendment addresses concerns about the influence of political parties on the electoral process. By requiring distinct votes for President and Vice President, it prevents political maneuvering aimed at manipulating the original system. This amendment reinforces the principle of one vote, one value, and reduces the potential for strategic voting or the manipulation of election outcomes by political parties or interest groups.
In summary, the Twelfth Amendment supersedes a portion of Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution by establishing a new procedure for the Electoral College to elect the President and Vice President separately. This amendment addresses issues arising from the original electoral process and ensures a more orderly and fair election of the nation's highest offices.
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The 12th Amendment outlines the election of the President
The 12th Amendment establishes the procedure for electing the President and Vice President, including the role of the Electoral College. It states that if the House of Representatives cannot elect a President by a majority vote, then the Senate shall choose the Vice-President from the two candidates with the highest number of votes. The person with the majority of votes for Vice-President shall become the Vice-President. However, if no person has a majority, the Senate will choose the Vice-President from the two candidates with the highest number of votes.
The 12th Amendment also addresses the situation where the President-elect dies before taking office. In such a case, the Vice-President-elect shall become the President. Additionally, it sets the terms of the President, Vice President, Senators, and Representatives, stating that their terms shall end at noon on the 20th day of January.
The 23rd Amendment, on the other hand, focuses on the rights of residents in Washington, D.C., to choose electors in presidential elections. Washington, D.C., is a federal district rather than a state, and its residents are not considered citizens of a state. The amendment grants them the right to appoint electors for President and Vice President, with a number of electors equal to the least populous state. This amendment was ratified in 1961, and it ensures that the residents of Washington, D.C., have a voice in electing the President and Vice President, despite not having representation in Congress.
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The 23rd Amendment was ratified in 1961
The 23rd Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified in 1961, on March 29. It was proposed by the US Congress the previous year, on June 16, 1960. The 23rd Amendment granted citizens of Washington, D.C.—a federal district, not a state—the right to vote in presidential elections. This was a significant development because, although residents of the US capital paid federal taxes and were subject to the same military obligations as citizens of the states, they had historically been denied the right to elect federal public officials.
The 23rd Amendment established that Washington would be allocated electoral votes equal to the number of the least-populated state (in effect, three). This was an important step towards civil rights, as the population of Washington was majority African-American. The Amendment's ratification votes divided along geographic lines, with no states in the Deep South ratifying it and Arkansas outright rejecting the proposal.
Despite the 23rd Amendment, residents of Washington, D.C., continue to be unrepresented in the US Congress. In 1970, Congress established a non-voting elected delegate to the House of Representatives. Several "DC Statehood" organizations have been established to seek full rights for citizens of the District. In 1978, Congress approved an amendment that would have repealed the 23rd Amendment and granted District residents full rights, but it was not ratified by the required number of states.
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The 23rd Amendment grants Washington, D.C. residents the right to vote in presidential elections
The 12th Amendment to the US Constitution deals with the election of the President and Vice President. It outlines the process for electing these leaders, including the role of the House of Representatives and the Senate in this process.
The 23rd Amendment, on the other hand, addresses the voting rights of residents in Washington, D.C. Specifically, the amendment grants residents of the District of Columbia the right to choose electors in presidential elections. This is significant because Washington, D.C. is a federal district, not a state, and its residents are not considered citizens of a state. As a result, they have historically been denied the right to elect federal public officials, despite paying federal taxes and having the same military obligations as state citizens.
The 23rd Amendment was ratified in 1961 and established a vote for District residents in presidential elections. It allocated to Washington, D.C. a number of electoral votes equal to the number of the least populous state, which is three. This amendment ensures that residents of Washington, D.C. have a say in choosing the President and Vice President, even though they do not have full representation in Congress.
The specific wording of the 23rd Amendment is as follows:
> "The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment."
This amendment ensures that the residents of Washington, D.C. have the right to participate in the democratic process of electing the President and Vice President, bringing their voting rights closer to those of citizens in the states.
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The 12th Amendment supersedes a portion of Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution
The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified on June 15, 1804. It changed a portion of Article II, Section 1, which outlined the original procedure for the Electoral College. Under the original procedure, each elector cast two electoral votes, with no distinction between votes for president and vice president. The 12th Amendment also addressed the possibility that the House would fail to choose a president by March 4, stating that in such a case, the vice president-elect would "act as President, as in the case of the death or other Constitutional disability of the President".
The 12th Amendment also modified Article I, Section 4, which established the terms of the President, Vice President, Senators, and Representatives, and outlined the minimum frequency of Congress assemblies. Additionally, the 12th Amendment was partially superseded by the 20th Amendment, which changed the date of the commencement of a new presidential term to January 20.
The 23rd Amendment, ratified in 1961, gave citizens of Washington, D.C., the right to choose electors in presidential elections. Washington, D.C., is a federal district rather than a state, so its residents were historically denied the right to elect federal public officials, despite paying federal taxes and being subject to military obligations. The 23rd Amendment granted them a vote in presidential elections, allocating them electoral votes equal to the number of the least-populated state, which is three.
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Frequently asked questions
The 12th Amendment to the Constitution provides the procedure for electing the president and vice president. It was proposed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified on June 15, 1804.
The 12th Amendment was added after the 1796 and 1800 elections exposed flaws in the original system. In 1796, John Adams became President and Thomas Jefferson became Vice President despite being opponents. In 1800, Jefferson and Aaron Burr, who were both Republican candidates, tied.
The 12th Amendment changed the procedure under which the Electoral College functions. It requires each member of the Electoral College to cast one vote for the president and one vote for the vice president, with no possibility of multiple candidates winning a majority of electoral votes.
The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution grants the District of Columbia electors in the Electoral College, allowing it to participate in presidential elections.
The 23rd Amendment was added to give the District of Columbia, or Washington D.C., voting rights in presidential elections. It was proposed in 1960 and ratified on March 29, 1961.
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