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United States · Bill · HJRES

H.J.Res. 70 (97th)

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to the nomination of individuals for election to the offices of the President and Vice President of the United States.

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

5 January 1981

Last action

17 February 1981 · Referred

Status

Referred to Subcommittee on Monopolies and Commercial Law.

Sponsors

Rep. Smith, Neal Edward [D-IA-4]

Subjects

Rule of law

Source updated

11 May 2023

Rule of law

Summary

Constitutional Amendment - Requires official candidates of political parties for President to be nominated in a closed primary election by direct popular vote. Restricts candidates to the primaries of the parties with which they are respectively affiliated. Directs that a candidate be placed on the appropriate party's ballot in all States if such individual files with the President of the Senate before a certain date a petition signed by a specified number of qualified voters in a specified number of jurisdictions. Recognizes as a political party for purposes of such amendment any party which received at least ten percent of the votes cast for all electors for candidates for President and Vice President in the most recent Presidential election. Sets the date of the primary election as the second Saturday after the first Monday in July in the year preceding the expiration of the regular term of President and Vice President, unless Congress directs otherwise. Designates the person receiving the greatest number votes in the primary as the official party candidate if such votes total at least 40 percent of those cast. Requires a runoff election between the two persons receiving the greatest number of votes in the event that no candidate receives such a plurality. Directs each party to nominate a person who is eligible for nomination as Vice President not less than seven nor more than 30 days after selection of that party's Presidential candidate. Designates a party's Vice Presidential candidate as its Presidential candidate if the Presidential nominee dies, resigns, or is disqualified. Prescribes that a committee composed of party nominees for the House of Representatives shall select party candidates if both the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates die, resign, or are disqualified.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 5 January 1981

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on The Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 5 January 1981

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 5 January 1981

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 17 February 1981

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Monopolies and Commercial Law.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

Sponsors

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.

Sources

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