US Election Headed For A Nail-Biting Finish: What Happens If There's A Tie Between Trump And Kamala Harris?

The US election 2024 is headed for a nail-biting finish with Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris deadlocked in the popular vote. Though the chances of elections ending in a tie are pretty low, considering the tight race, we must also consider the outcome a rare possibility. The election process in the US is relatively more complicated than in India as here the popular vote doesn't decide the winner of the election but the Electoral College does.For any candidate to secure a win, he/she must get 270 seats. If both Trump and her rival from the Democratic Party are tied at 269-269 each, the race would become a "contingent election" which gives Congress the responsibility of choosing the next president and vice president.

What Happens In Case Of A Tie?There are 583 electoral votes distributed among the 50 US states and Washington, D.C., based on population. A Presidential candidate must get 270 votes to secure a victory. In case of a tie (which is a rarity), the US House of Representatives decide the winner. US Election Poll Of Polls: Each state's delegation gets one vote and a candidate must secure a majority of the state delegation votes to win. The Senate elects the Vice President, while the House of Representatives chooses the President.According to the 12th Amendment, the newly elected Congress chooses the president, in case of a tie. This process is detailed in Article Two, Section One, Clause Three of the Constitution.The contingent election, if it happens, will take place on January 6, immediately after members of Congress met to count electoral votes and determined that no candidate had a majority, reported CNN. What If There's A Tie In Contingent Election?If there is a tie in the House of Representatives during the presidential election, voting will continue until a candidate secures a majority. However, if no winner emerges by inauguration day, the vice president-elect, chosen by the Senate, would assume the presidency, according to Sky News. A tie in the vice-presidential vote could also occur, in which case the House Speaker would temporarily serve as president until a resolution is reached. If neither the president nor vice president is decided, the president pro tempore of the Senate or a cabinet officer would be next in line. The President and Vice President-elect are scheduled to be inaugurated on January 20, 2025.