Marine 1 crashes

This is almost future history. Obama was surveying the wreckage of Sandy from Marine 1. Supposed it had crashed? Biden would become the president, but how would it affect the ticket and the electoral college? I know that Greeley died after the election, but did any candidate die before the election?
If they were not already ahead, I suppose that the democratic ticket would win on a sympathy vote. What about the vice president? I suppose that Biden would appoint Hilary. Do both houses have to confirm or just the senate. What would happen if a republican house refused to confirm her?
 
They kind of dealt with this on the West Wing, but the other way around, the VP died not the Pres. How it effects voting i dont know but yes Biden Becomes Pres automatically and Obama's name stays on the ballot so if the Dem ticket wins Obama is elected Pres. beyond that we really have no precedent for what happens next. If I had to guess I would say that Biden would stay President on Jan 20th if the Dem ticket won and according to the West Wing (which i know is not gospel but just using their example) he could either a) propose another name for the electoral college to vote for when they meet or b) (and the option which I think would happen) he can nominate a new VP under the 25th amendment when the new congress meets.
 

Hyperion

Banned
In such a scenario, what are the odds of anyone else, be it an elected official(governor, congressman, mayor, senator, etc) or some high level appointed official(Homeland Security Secretary, some national guard general) being in Marine 1 as well.
 
In such a scenario, what are the odds of anyone else, be it an elected official(governor, congressman, mayor, senator, etc) or some high level appointed official(Homeland Security Secretary, some national guard general) being in Marine 1 as well.

He's assuming it happens while Obama surveys the coast today. So NJ governor Chris Christie will have been with him.
 
This close to election day, it's too late to change all the ballots/people have already voted so it's too late for Biden to pick a VP. That being said, I'm not sure you're going to see a sympathy vote put the incumbent into power. The uncertainty surrounding the presidency might have just the opposite affect as more undecided voters might prefer Romney in charge of the economy, especially with a close election like this one.
 
The most probable solutions are as follows (and presume Obama/Biden ticket wins).

1. The electoral votes are not actually cast until December. In many states the electors are free to vote as they please (though they rarely do).

Thus in those states, any Obama/Biden electors could vote for Biden and probably Hilary Clinton.

In the event that there were insufficient votes to elect Biden/Clinton then it is quite possible Romney would direct his electors to do so (there is NO way they'd try to switch the result, that would never fly).

In the event that this still did not get enough electors for Biden/Clinton then the election would go to Congress who would elect them in January

2. They could simply vote Obama/Biden as scheduled.

Then on Inauguration Day Biden would first be sworn in as VP and immediately after as POTUS (per the constitution).

He then picks a new VP
 

BlondieBC

Banned
The most probable solutions are as follows (and presume Obama/Biden ticket wins).

1. The electoral votes are not actually cast until December. In many states the electors are free to vote as they please (though they rarely do).

Thus in those states, any Obama/Biden electors could vote for Biden and probably Hilary Clinton.

In the event that there were insufficient votes to elect Biden/Clinton then it is quite possible Romney would direct his electors to do so (there is NO way they'd try to switch the result, that would never fly).

In the event that this still did not get enough electors for Biden/Clinton then the election would go to Congress who would elect them in January

2. They could simply vote Obama/Biden as scheduled.

Then on Inauguration Day Biden would first be sworn in as VP and immediately after as POTUS (per the constitution).

He then picks a new VP

Dead men are not illegible to be President. If they vote Obama/Biden, then it goes to the house, so we likely end with Romney/Biden. The Democrats would pick a new ticket (Biden/Hillary is good guess) and tell the electors to vote for new ticket. The problem becomes if there is a enough electors who vote for someone else, then it will be thrown to Congress. I would not be surprised if many electors vote for a local favorite for Pres.
 

JRScott

Banned
Okay if it happened this close to election day this is what happens.

First the ballots cannot be changed, as early voting has already started. So the nominee on the ticket is Obama/Biden. Hilary Clinton will not ascent in any event.

So on Nov 6th the choices would be Obama/Biden, Romney/Ryan, and various other parties depending on your state. Many states require electors to vote for who won their state, even if that person is now dead.

Then in December the Electoral College meets to vote and the results are presented in the House for President and Senate for Vice President. Now this is the quark of the system presently. The House and Senate consider by present law a vote for a dead person to be invalid. So they would invalidate all votes for Obama in the House. Even if Obama/Biden got the most votes, and even if they won the electoral college, by present law Romney would become the next president because he would have the next most eligible electoral votes because Obama's are invalidated by House rules. Now here comes the kicker though since Biden is still living, when it goes to the Senate they count it all up and well if Obama/Biden ticket had the most votes and electoral votes Joe Biden is now Vice President.

So in essence:

1. If Romney wins the electoral college, Romney is President, Ryan is Vice President.
2. If Obama wins the electoral college, Romney is President, Biden is Vice President.


(Now if the death had occurred after the Electoral College vote before the Congress then if Obama/Biden had won the electoral College, Biden would be President by the line of succession. However his vice president would be the Speaker of the House....John Boehner not Hilary Clinton)
 

GarethC

Donor
(Now if the death had occurred after the Electoral College vote before the Congress then if Obama/Biden had won the electoral College, Biden would be President by the line of succession. However his vice president would be the Speaker of the House....John Boehner not Hilary Clinton)
The line of succession is only to the presidency - Boehner is next for the Oval if both Obama and Biden die in office, but he does not get promoted to the vice-presidency if just the President shuffles off this mortal coil.

The 25th mandates that the President nominate someone who then needs to be approved by both houses - that's how Rockefeller became VP for Ford.
 
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