What if something happens to the nominee of either Party right before the election?

[calteacherguy]

Would the VP then become the official Presidential candidate automatically? Could (would) the "Party Bosses" choose someone else to be the candidate?

Anyone ever thought about this? It's of course something we hope never happens, but I wonder if there as ever been any consideration to what would happen in such an event.

Edit: It occurs to me that under the electoral college system, voters are actually electing "electors" who are free-agents. That of course further complicates things.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. interesting query

very interesting actually.

:thumbsup:

[RC]

2. Bring to mind Paul Wellstone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wellstone

[Buzz Clik]

3. ... and when Ashcroft lost his election in Missouri to a dead guy.

[karynnj]

6. Senators don't have VP equivilents

[RC]

8. You are missing the point.

If Wellstone had died a day or two later by law, his name would have been on the ballot and the governor would have named his successor. As it was they had to find someone to replace him and run their campaign from scratch. That turned out to be a disaster. So Wellstone's case does apply.

[rzemanfl]

4. All I know is that if Cheney had had his heart attack three days

before the 2000 Election instead of three days after, we wouldn't be in this mess.

[karynnj]

5. Interesting question

I could see 2 different possibilities. the second seems far more reasonable in a time of pain.

1) A quick second convention - obviously more sober and not a celebration, where the convention delegates - who were elected to elect the President - meet and pick the new nominee. (Pro - this is what the electors were elected for and you could say they represent their state. Con- In reality, whne I voted for John Kerry in the primary I did not even look at the delegate who I actually voted for and I bet this is the same for all of us)

2) The VP nominee becomes the nominee. Pro -
This is what this person would do if the same event happened after a successful election and the party already voted on that (though it is a formality). The party would be in mourning. Having the VP immediately pick up the torch and lead would help in a completely traumatic situaltion. I would hope his/her VP selection could be approved without a convention.

[Lobster Martini]

7. The election is indirect--the vote is for the Presidential Elector, not for the candidate

Should a dead candidate win the election, the electors could cast their votes for someone else. Speculatively, it would either be the vice-presidential candidate or whoever came in second in the primary. (It has happened before, but I don't remember the details. If anyone does, please feel free to refresh my memory.)

So theoretically, and using names only for clarity, if Gore wins the nomination, Clinton comes in second, Gore picks Clark as his running mate, wins the general election and drops dead on the Letterman show, the electors could cast their votes for Clark or Clinton.

Caveat: some states have laws against so-called "faithless electors," but no one has ever been prosecuted and the vote counts in any case.

Good question. Took a few minutes to work that out.