( And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. )
也就是说,美国宪法只规定了参议院议长(目前为副总统彭斯)要在会上 「打开 」各州送来的选举人选票的所有证书,然后「进行计票」。
打开选举人票的是参议院议长,这规定得很清楚。
但是,美国宪法和宪法修正案都没有明确规定,到底应该由谁来计算选举人票,是整个国会?参议院议长?还是其他行为人?
也就是说,如果争议州提交了两套选举人名单,应该计算哪一份,以哪一份作数,存在争议的空间。
这个问题,美国宪法专家拉里·戴蒙德(Larry Diamond)和爱德华·弗莱(Edward B. Foley)两人今年9月在《大西洋》杂志上发表了一篇文章,题为《美国选举法的致命缺陷》(The Terrifying Inadequacy of American Election Law),文中分析了当出现两份选举人名单时的可能后果。
这又会有两种情况:
一种是参议院议长(副总统)彭斯来决定。彭斯显然会选择支持川普和自己连任总统、副总统职位的选举人名单。
(If, by reason of death, resignation, removal from office, inability, or failure to qualify, there is neither a President nor Vice President to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, upon his resignation as Speaker and as Representative in Congress, act as President.)