The Every Vote Counts Amendment is a joint resolution to amend the United States Constitution, providing for the popular election of the president and vice president under a new electoral system. This proposed amendment would abolish the Electoral College in United States presidential elections and have every presidential election determined by a plurality of the national vote. It was introduced by Representative Gene Green (D) Texas on January 4, 2005. Representative Green then again introduced the legislation on January 7, 2009 as H
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As of April 2009 two other joint resolutions have been proposed in the 111th Congress to amend the Constitution to establish a national popular vote for the president and vice-president. Sponsored by Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D) Illinois, H
Article
Background Information:Sections
Section 1, 3, and 4 relate to the process of the election. Section 1 states that the President and Vice President will be elected by the residents of states. Section 3 states that the election is won by the candidate with the majority votes. Section 4 pushes the joint candidacy requirement enacted by all states. So, that candidates can not be joined by more than one other person on the ballot. To prevent misinterpretation for voters by having too many choices. Section 2 relates to the voter qualifications in three implementations. The first implementation is re-using requirements for qualification to vote that were established and used for the electoral system. The qualifications stated in Article 1 section 2, also the 17th Amendment pushed by the 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th and 26th Amendments. The second implementation would effect the resident periods in states, allowing states to make little to no waiting periods to vote if one changed residence of state. The last implementation would allow Congress to input age requirements for elections and establish uniform residence. Pushing past the 24th Amendment and making the age requirement higher or lower. Section 5 would give power to Congress. If the Amendment was put into place, and a candidate died or there was a tie between to candidates it would allow Congress to make decisions depending on the event if it was to take place. Such as, postponing an election. Section 5 gives more power to Congress over the election process and system. Section 6 relates to if the Amendment was to be put into place. As long as the Amendment is put into place one year before the next election the Amendment would be used on the next Presidential election.
After introduction of Amendment
The Every Vote Counts Amendment was shutdown. Although the Ideas of Every Vote Counts Amendment led to H.J Res.36, another electoral college reform proposal that included a direct popular election. H.J. Res.36 was introduced in the 111th Congress of Representatives on March 3, 2009 by Rep Jesse L. Jackson.