Number: RL32695
Title: Election of the President and Vice President by Congress: Contingent Election
Authors: Thomas H. Neale, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: The 12th Amendment to the Constitution requires that candidates for President and Vice President receive a majority of electoral votes (currently 270 or more of a total of 538) to be elected. If no candidate receives a majority, the President is elected by the House of Representatives (which occurred once, in 1825), and the Vice President is elected by the Senate (which also occurred once, in 1837). This process is known as contingent election.
Pages: 8
Date: December 14, 2004