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United States · Bill · SJRES

S.J.Res. 28 (96th)

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for the direct popular election of the President and Vice President of the United States.

failedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

25 January 1979

Last action

10 July 1979 · Vote

Status

Measure failed of passage in Senate, roll call #161 (51-48).

Sponsors

Sen. Bayh, Birch [D-IN], Sen. Huddleston, Walter (Dee) [D-KY], Sen. Matsunaga, Spark M. [D-HI], Sen. Baker, Howard H., Jr. [R-TN], Sen. Bellmon, Henry L. [R-OK], Sen. Burdick, Quentin N. [D-ND], Sen. Pell, Claiborne [D-RI], Sen. Chafee, John H. [R-RI], Sen. Cranston, Alan [D-CA], Sen. Danforth, John C. [R-MO], Sen. DeConcini, Dennis [D-AZ], Sen. Dole, Robert J. [R-KS], Sen. Durenberger, Dave [R-MN], Sen. Ford, Wendell H. [D-KY], Sen. Garn, E. J. (Jake) [R-UT], Sen. Gravel, Mike [D-AK], Sen. Packwood, Bob [R-OR], Sen. Hatfield, Mark O. [R-OR], Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI], Sen. Jackson, Henry M. [D-WA], Sen. Magnuson, Warren G. [D-WA], Sen. Javits, Jacob K. [R-NY], Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA], Sen. Tsongas, Paul E. [D-MA], Sen. Proxmire, William [D-WI], Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT], Sen. Stafford, Robert T. [R-VT], Sen. Mathias, Charles McC., Jr. [R-MD], Sen. Pryor, David H. [D-AR], Sen. Randolph, Jennings [D-WV], Sen. Ribicoff, Abraham A. [D-CT], Sen. Riegle, Donald W., Jr. [D-MI], Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI], Sen. Stevenson, Adlai E., III [D-IL], Sen. Williams, Harrison A., Jr. [D-NJ], Sen. Zorinsky, Edward [D-NE], Sen. Johnston, J. Bennett [D-LA]

Subjects

Rule of law

Source updated

10 August 2026

Rule of law

Official sourceView documentsShare

Summary

Constitutional Amendment - Provides that the people of the several States, and the District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall elect the President and Vice President. Requires each elector to cast a single vote for two persons who shall have consented to the joining of their names as candidates for the offices of President and Vice President. Requires the electors of President and Vice President in each State to have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature, except that for electors of President and Vice President, the legislature of any State may prescribe less restrictive residence qualifications and for electors of President and Vice President the Congress may establish uniform residence qualifications. Provides that the pair of persons having the greatest number of votes for President and Vice President shall be elected, if such number is at least 40 percent of the whole number of votes cast. Provides that if no pair of persons has such number, a runoff election shall be held in which the choice of President and Vice President shall be made from the two pairs of persons who received the highest numbers of votes. Requires the days for such elections to be determined by Congress and to be uniform throughout the United States. Requires Congress to prescribe by law the time, place, and manner in which the results for such elections shall be ascertained and declared. Allows Congress to provide for the case of the death, inability, or withdrawal of any candidate for President or Vice President before a President and Vice President have been elected, and for the case of the death of both the President-elect and Vice President-elect.

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

Timeline

  1. 25 January 1979

    Introduced

    Referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 25 January 1979

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 22 February 1979

    Calendars

    Placed on calendar in Senate.

    Source: Calendars

  4. 14 March 1979

    Floor

    Call of calendar in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  5. 15 March 1979

    Floor

    Measure considered in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  6. 10 April 1979

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on the Judiciary, S. Rept. 96-111.

    Source: Committee

  7. 10 April 1979

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on the Judiciary, S. Rept. 96-111.

    Source: Committee

  8. 10 April 1979

    Floor

    Placed on calendar in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  9. 10 April 1979

    Discharge

    Committee on the Judiciary discharged in Senate.

    Source: Discharge

  10. 10 April 1979

    Committee

    Committee on the Judiciary discharged in Senate.

    Source: Committee

  11. 21 June 1979

    Floor

    Call of calendar in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  12. 26 June 1979

    Floor

    Measure considered in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  13. 27 June 1979

    Floor

    Measure considered in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  14. 9 July 1979

    Floor

    Measure considered in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  15. 10 July 1979

    Floor

    Measure considered in Senate.

    Source: Floor

  16. 10 July 1979

    Vote

    Failed of passage/not agreed to in Senate: Measure failed of passage in Senate, roll call #161 (51-48).

    Source: Floor

Votes

· Official source

Yes 0 · No 0 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 0

    Versions

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

    Documents

    2 official files

    Leesvertaling

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    • Failed of passage in Senate

      summary · EN · 10 July 1979

      Open at official source

    • Introduced in Senate

      summary · EN · 25 January 1979

      Open at official source

      Leesvertaling

      Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

      Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

    Sponsors

    Related records

    Sources

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