d to the President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Congress of the United
States shall be in session on the second Monday in October in the year
18--, and on the same day in every sixth year thereafter; and the
President of the Senate, in the presence of the Senate and House of
Representatives, shall open all the certificates, and the votes shall
then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes for
President shall be President, if such number be equal to a majority of
the whole number of votes given; but if no person have such majority,
then a second election shall be held on the first Thursday in the month
of December then next ensuing between the persons having the two highest
numbers for the office of President, which second election shall be
conducted, the result certified, and the votes counted in the same
manner as in the first, and the person having the greatest number of
votes for President shall be President. But if two or more persons shall
have received the greatest and an equal number of votes at the second
election, then the person who shall have received the greatest number of
votes in the greatest number of States shall be President. The person
having the greatest number of votes for Vice-President at the first
election shall be Vice-President, if such number be equal to a majority
of the whole number of votes given; and if no person have such majority,
then a second election shall take place between the persons having the
two highest numbers on the same day that the second election is held for
President, and the person having the highest number of the votes for
Vice-President shall be Vice-President. But if there should happen to
be an equality of votes between the persons so voted for at the second
election, then the person having the greatest number of votes in the
greatest number of States shall be Vice-President. But when a second
election shall be necessary in the case of Vice-President and not
necessary in the case of President, then the Senate shall choose a
Vice-President from the persons having the two highest numbers in the
first election, as now prescribed in the Constitution: _Provided_,
That after the ratification of this amendment to the Constitution the
President and Vice-President shall hold their offices, respectively, for
the term of six years, and that no President or Vice