Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site isucs1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!stolaf!umn-cs!isucs1!notes From: notes@isucs1.UUCP Newsgroups: net.legal Subject: Re: what happens if Reagan dies? Message-ID: <222@isucs1.UUCP> Date: Wed, 12-Dec-84 02:01:40 EST Article-I.D.: isucs1.222 Posted: Wed Dec 12 02:01:40 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 16-Dec-84 05:47:28 EST Sender: notes@isucs1.UUCP Organization: Iowa State University Lines: 89 Nf-ID: #R:bonnie:-30100:isucs1:30500002:000:3250 Nf-From: isucs1!roy Dec 11 19:04:00 1984 There was an article concerning this very issue in the December 9 Des Moines Register by John Hyde. I'll quote parts of it here. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Suppose Ronald Reagan were to die today, Dec. 9, 1984. Who would become president on Jan. 20, 1985? The answer is: Nobody knows for sure. Suppose Reagan were to die a month from now, on Jan. 8, 1985. Who would become president on Jan. 20? The answer is: George Bush. But suppose Reagan were to die sometime between Dec. 17, 1984, and Jan. 7, 1985. Who would become president on Jan. 20? The answer is: Walter Mondale. ... The actual election of the president takes place on the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December (Dec. 17, this year) when the 538 electors meet in their various states to cast their ballots. During the period between Nov. 6 and Dec. 17, there is no president-elect since the election hasn't taken place. Therefore, if a candidate died or withdrew, it would be up to the national committees of the political parties to name a new candidate. If Reagan were to die, the Republican National Committee probably would name Vice President George Bush as its presidential candidate, but the committee would be under no legal or consti- tutional obligation to do so, nor would the elec- tors be under any obligation to follow the party's advice. ... Between Dec. 17 and Jan 7, however, the elec- toral ballots remain sealed and uncounted and no "president-elect" exists. If Reagan were to die or withdraw during that period, the election would be thrown into the House of Representa- tives. The election in the House would be governed by the 12th Amendment, which requires that the president be picked "from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as president..." Since the 1984 election was a two-man race in which only Reagan and Mondale won any electoral votes, the House's only constitutional option would be to elect Mondale. ... If the House refused to settle the election, Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill would become acting president on Jan. 20. But O'Neill would have to resign from the House in order to accept the position. If O'Neill refused to be- come acting president, the job would fall to Sen- ate President Pro Tem Strom Thurmond. If Thur- mond declined, Secretary of State George Schultz would become acting president. ... So that seems to be the story. I guess we still have a chance before January 7. :-) Roy Rubinstein csnet: roy@iowa-state usenet: ...umn-cs!isucs1!roy "Anything before Wednesday noon is still Monday morning." - RSR