Madison doesn't make it to inauguration

More a curiosity question than anything: assume after he is elected but before he is inaugurated Madison comes down with a bad case of handwavium and dies. Who becomes president? I assume his vp, but is it automatic or does the house vote?
 
The exact date of his death would be crucial.

If it was before the second Wednesday in December, then the Electoral College would choose the President and Vice-President - probably at the direction of a Congressional caucus, as that was the usual way of nominating a candidate.

If he dies after that, it would presumably fall to the VP-elect - either George Clinton or Elbridge Gerry depending which election we are talking about. The constitution didn't say this expressly, but the 12th Amendment clearly assumed it by providing for this if the HoR failed to make a choice before March 4. Since Madison had received a majority of the electoral votes the HoR would have no right to choose in this situation. Since a massively DR Congress would never accept the Federalist candidate we may take it as certain that the VP-elect would be sworn in on March 4.
 
Madison had a very delicate health, so it would not be that hard to create a case of handwavium to cause his death.

The best date of death would be before his first inauguration, in my opinion, the incumbent President Thomas Jefferson, would recommend his next favourite, Former U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom, James Monroe, who stood as a Democratic-Republican candidate in his own rights and gained 2.5% of the votes, to be selected as his successor, with his Vice President, carrying on in the position to help pass laws through senate.
 
Madison had a very delicate health, so it would not be that hard to create a case of handwavium to cause his death.

The best date of death would be before his first inauguration, in my opinion, the incumbent President Thomas Jefferson, would recommend his next favourite, Former U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom, James Monroe, who stood as a Democratic-Republican candidate in his own rights and gained 2.5% of the votes, to be selected as his successor, with his Vice President, carrying on in the position to help pass laws through senate.


I take it you mean if Madison died before the Electoral college met ie the first Wednesday in December.

After that, of couse, it would be too late to "choose" anyone other than Clinton.
 
My own guess is that (if it's 1808) Vice-President Clinton, under his "President of the Senate" hat, counts the electoral votes, declares that Mr Madison and himself have been elected President and VP as from March 4, 1809, then simply adds a rider that due to Mr Madison's unfortunate death, the powers and duties of President will devolve upon himself as from that date. And that's what will happen.

If it does, of course, it will have consequences four years hence. Assuming that Clinton still dies in April 1812, the Presidency (or Acting Presidency [1]) will pass to William H Crawford as President of the Senate, which could lead to a tussle between him and Monroe for the 1812 nomination. If Crawford wins, then Monroe probably has to wait until 1820, and the 1824 free-for all is probably postponed to 1828.. If Monroe does, then Crawford is well placed to come back that year, ie before his stroke.

[1] Depending on whether Clinton does as Tyler did OTL, and claims the title of President, or merely calls himself "Vice President, Acting as President". I don't know enough about him to say which he'll do.
 
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