Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000
December 18? Maybe Later!
Thomas M. Miovas, Jr.
There has been a lot of chattering about how this country will
be harmed if the election results are not known soon -- as if
not knowing the results of the election a millisecond after the
polls close must bring disaster.
It occurred to me that surely the results could not possibly
have been known before at least a week after the election when
there were no electronic ballots and and no rapid
transportation. But guess what -- we are still here, and it is
still the United Sates of America.
Furthermore, while reading through Newsmax articles, I came
across one that clearly implies that there were times when the
results of the Presidential election were not known until
*after* December 18 (no specific date is mentioned). The
tie-breaker procedure mentioned below can only take place after
the Electoral College results in a tie:
"Better presidents than Al Gore would ever make were elected
proudly by the Electoral College. Thomas Jefferson, who tied
with Aaron Burr, was subsequently elected by one vote as the
Constitution demanded, by the House of Representatives in 1800.
John Quincy Adams was likewise elected president over Andrew
Jackson (who received the majority of the popular vote) by the
Electoral College. Andrew Jackson became president in 1828 when
he beat Adams by the same constitutional procedure."
www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2000/11/10/105039.shtml
Somehow this country got along in spite of the seemingly
unbearable uncertainty of who was going to be our next President
until at least December 18 -- and not only once, but **three
times**! (The paragraph is bit unclear as to whether Andrew
Jackson won via the Electoral College vote, or the House of
Representative vote, which would take place later.)
How in the world did we ever manage to survive? ;)
