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| | == Elections == | | == Elections == |
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| − | The U.S. Constitution authorizes Congress to pass laws choosing the date and manner for electing representatives to the House of Representatives and the Senate, and for picking members of the Elector College (also called "presidential Electors"). As expected, Article I contains the provision for electing members of the legislature (the House and Senate), and Article II contains the provision for electing the members of the Electoral College. | + | The U.S. Constitution authorizes State legislatures and Congress to pass laws for the election of representatives to the House of Representatives and the Senate, and for picking members of the Elector College (also called "presidential Electors"). As you should expect by now, it is Article I that contains the provision for electing members of the legislature (the House and Senate), and it is Article II that contains the provision for electing the members of the Electoral College. |
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| | Article I, Section 4, clause 1 states: | | Article I, Section 4, clause 1 states: |
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| | Article II, Section 1, clause 4 states: | | Article II, Section 1, clause 4 states: |
| | {{cquote|The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.}} | | {{cquote|The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.}} |
| − | The Framers did not misspell "choosing" when they wrote "chusing"; Shakespeare used the same spelling for the word in many of his works.<ref>http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Annex/DraftTxt/ - a good internet source for the works of Shakespeare in their original spellings.</ref> Other attempts to claim that there is a "mistake" in the Constitution are not really mistakes at all. | + | The Framers did not misspell "choosing" when they wrote "chusing"; Shakespeare used the same spelling for the word in many of his works.<ref>http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Annex/DraftTxt/ - a good internet source for the works of Shakespeare in their original spellings.</ref> Most other attempts to claim that there is a "mistake" in the Constitution are also not really mistakes at all. |
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| − | The above sections from Articles I and II give responsibility both to the States and to Congress for determining elections rules with respect to members of the House, Senate, and Electoral College Articles I and II give primary responsibility to the States to establish rules for federal elections, such as determining who will be allowed to vote and the times on Election Day when the polling booths will be open to vote. Congress retained some power, such as establishing when Election Day would be. | + | The above sections of Articles I and II give responsibility primarily to the States, but also to Congress, for determining elections rules with respect to members of the House, Senate, and Electoral College. The States determine who will be allowed to vote and the times on Election Day when the polling booths will be open to vote. Congress retained some power, such as establishing when Election Day is for the House, Senate, and Electoral College. |
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| − | The following provisions in federal law establish that the elections of the representatives in the House and Senate, and the presidential electors, shall occur on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November: | + | The following provisions in federal law establish that the elections of the representatives in the House and Senate, and the presidential electors, shall occur on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, which is called "Election Day": |
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| | 2 U.S.C. § 7 establishes that: | | 2 U.S.C. § 7 establishes that: |