Could Trump And Harris tie? Yes, it’s possible, and here’s what would happen
Election day 2024: Early voting vs. election day voting
Election Day voting unfolded largely smoothly across the nation Tuesday with only scattered reports of delays from extreme weather, ballot printing errors and technical problems. LiveNOW from FOX host Stephanie Coueignoux spoke to Aaron Cutler, partner and leader of government and public relations at Hogan Lovells on the difference between early voting versus election day voting.
The outcome of the 2024 presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump remains highly uncertain, according to the latest polling data.
With both candidates fiercely contending for the presidency, speculation has arisen over the rare possibility of a tie in the Electoral College.
While it’s unlikely, the scenario remains technically possible.
A total of 270 Electoral College votes are required to win the presidency, but if the election resulted in a tie, Harris and Trump would each secure 269 votes.
The probability of a presidential tie
Political analysis firm FiveThirtyEight places the probability of a tie at just 0.2%, but several plausible scenarios could lead to such an outcome.
Kamala Harris, Donald Trump (Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images, Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
One possibility is if Harris won all the states Joe Biden carried in 2020, except for Michigan and Pennsylvania. Alternatively, Harris could flip North Carolina, while Trump would need to win Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada to reach the same result.
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Another path to a tie would involve Harris winning the so-called "blue wall" states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, while Trump would take the remaining swing states and Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, which typically leans Democratic.
What happens if there is a tie during presidential election?
Should the election end in a deadlock, the U.S. House of Representatives would be tasked with selecting the next president, while the Senate would choose the vice president.
Election day 2024: Millions head to the polls to vote
Election Day voting unfolded largely smoothly across the nation Tuesday with only scattered reports of delays from extreme weather, ballot printing errors and technical problems. LiveNOW from FOX host Stephanie Couiegnoux spoke to David Washington, CEO of J & Washington Political Firm on the latest.
Per the 12th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, this would not be a simple majority vote. Instead, each state delegation in the House would cast a single vote for one of the three candidates who garnered the most Electoral College votes.
In such a scenario, the outcome would likely hinge on party lines, with Republicans poised to control a majority of state delegations, bolstering their chances of selecting the next president.
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At the same time, the Senate would vote to determine the vice president. To win, a vice-presidential candidate would need to secure 51 votes in the Senate.